Arthritic Solutions Research Book - Spreads

8/7/2019 Arthritic Solutions Research Book - Spreads

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asarthritic solutions by ds:ignobservational research

by david stevens


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e n c o u r a g eindependent living

e l i m i n a t ethe memory of pain

e v o k epositive emotions


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Initial ResearchExploration of the kitchen environment helped to identify problemsassociated with daily tasks carried out by a number of people of differing

ages and physical abilities.


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Vicky TremainVicky lives in a 6-person housein Brighton, East Sussex, which

contains only one medium-sized

fridge-freezer, therefore it is often

extremely full.

Having recently bought some

frozen sh, Vicky was asked to

retrieve the packet from the

freezer.


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I couldnt remember which draw Id put [the

sh] in, so when I looked in the [third] draw I

could bend pretty easily. When it wasnt there I

couldnt bend to the bottom drawer, it hurts my

back and legs too much; I just had to crouch

instead.

I dont have any joint or muscle problems, but

bending for too long hurts my back and crouching

can hurt my knees; but I dont think Im the only

one!

It would be great if you see everything in the

freezer before you open the draw so you dont have to rummage all the time...or have everything

at eye-level.

Vicky Tremain


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Cynthia StobbsCynthia lives by herself in a one

person, ground oor at in Sussex.

Despite her age and the onset of

arthritis, she lives as independently

as possible. Like Vicky, Cynthia was

also asked to access her freezer to

retrieve an item of her choice.


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My arthritis means I cant grip knives or food

very well and my ngers and wrist hurt most

when cutting vegetables, in particular. I cant

afford the specialist knives so Ive started to

cook less.


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I nd it more dif cult to walk the distance

to the shops now, so when I do go, I tend to

stock up...this means some things do go out

of date though.


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Audrey Flint and Maurice StillAudrey and Maurice are 79 and 85,

respectively and have been close friends

for many years. They were supplied with

a camera for a number of days and asked

to record elements of their life that

proved dif cult or required external help.

The images shown depict often simple

problems that, if designed properly should

not pose dif culty.


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With age comes a decline in physical

exibility, however, this should not affect

the independence of older generations

until absolutely necessary.

Due to the low-level access of Audreys

fridge, she nds it inconvenient to

continually bend down.

Similarly, Morris - a war veteran - cannot

access his fuse box without having to

bend to awkard angles.

In both Audreys and Morriss homes

light xtures are inaccessible due to

their height and careless positioning,

rendering the simple task of changing a

lightbulb unnecessarily dif cult.


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Libby FinnLibby Finn has been registered as a quali edBUPA physiotherapist for 10 years. Her

expertise helped to emphasise the fact that

physical limits at older ages are restricted.

Due to poor product design, older people

and those with arthritis are, therefore,

hindered in their daily routines.


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Lifting from the back places strain on the

muli dus muscles (core muscles) surrounding

the spine, which, if damaged can result in

chronic pain.

...the optimum lifting position is with a straight

back...

...getting down to low stuff does depend a

lot on strength in the legs. You and I would be

perfectly ne, however, the elderly population and

chronically ill arent going to have the strength to

squat down to get things out of the bottom of

their freezer. Libby Finn


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...an able bodied person should have 150 degree

rotation at the knee...however able - bodied issuch a broad term that your Average Joe, who

may not consider themselves to have a problem,

simply may not have the strength or movement to

bend down...and that is something that you really

have to consider.

Libby Finn


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With the onset of osteoarthritis,

reduced strength in the kneescan result in further strain on

the achiles tendons. According

to Libby, when this natural

degeneration occurs, people with

osteoarthritis inevitably revert to

lifting from the back, which can

cause further discomfort.


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ProfessionalsRather than focusing on refrigeration techniques, it was decided tobroaden observational research into daily routines, with a particular focuson the kitchen.Therefore, enlisting the expertise of professionals withinthe eld of elderly independence helped to rede ne the area of study.


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Derek MooreOccupational Therapist - Daily Living Centre

Occupational therapists, depending on their

specialism, offer a range of services that helpto assess disability.

the people who often visit, along with their

families, are those who have recently suffered a

stroke or have discovered that they can no longer

perform their daily routines.

Derek Moore

Once the needs of individuals are established,

informed recommendations on products to

help a variety of conditions can be made. An

observational visit was made to The DailyLiving Centre to assess the current market

for ar thritis-focused products.


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bene cialfunctional

comfortableuser-friendly

safe


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Mark BrownlowSt. Dunstans Home for Blind ex-Service Men

and Women

St Dunstans, based in Brighton, is a centre for

ex-Service men and women, either blinded

in action or having developed blindness withage. Although there are approximately 20

permanent residents, the majority attend

speci c classes each week, aimed to encourage

independent living.

According to Mark Brownlow, an employee

at St. Dunstans, everyones eyesight goes as

they get older , emphasising that this was an

issue that needed to be addressed alongside

degenerative musculoskeletal conditions, such

as arthritis, which are also synonymous with

age.

With the help of Mark and his colleague,

Michelle, the aim of this study was to develop

an understanding of what the visually impaired

require in a product to allow safe and effective

use.


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locationformcontrasttexturesound


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SimulationsBy simulating the symptoms of arthritis and visual impairment it waspossible to obtain rst hand experience of problems that occur on a

daily basis .


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Arthritis Simulation

Arthritis decreases ne motor control in thengers, thumb and wrist. This can inevitably affect

daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning and getting

dressed.

In response to observations made during initial

research and at the Daily Living Centre, an

investigation into a reduction in dexterity was

conducted in a basic kitchen.

The task was to prepare and cook a meal whilst

wearing large mittens, which were predicted to

reduce grip and dexterity.


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Dif culties with...

opening drawers

handling vegetables and utensils.

coordinating vegetable peeler with vegetables

peeling onions

retaining dexterity

grip


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Visual Impairment SimulationAs with the arthritis simulation, this experiment

was to simulate ocular degeneration in order to

understand the dif culties associated with it. With

Vaseline covered glasses, giving the impression of

blurred vision or cataracts, the task was to prepare

a toasted sandwich to the best standard possible in

the circumstances.


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Location - using routine storage spaces for par ticular

items helped navigation around the kitchen

Sound - the bread was removed from the toaster

once it had popped

Colour and contrast - butter was located in the

refrigerator through the brightly coloured packaging

in comparison to other contents

Texture - helps to distinguish one item from another

- unfortunately in this experiment the texture of the

knife was not suf cient to prevent injuries occurring.

Although the simulation was terminated early, the

points listed demonstrate how good or bad design

can affect the sensory perception of multiple senses,especially if one is already hindered.


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Dials & KeysWith the aim to eliminate, or at least reduce the rotational wrist strengthneeded to turn dial and key-operated products, studies were conducted

to document the action required.


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DialsThe dials featured are found on regular products, such

as a dishwasher, washing machine, toaster, central

heating unit, pressure cooker and an oven.

As Fig 3.3 shows, all of the appliance dials are turned in

a clockwise direction, which is a good system image to

use, due to the visual similarities to a clock.

The way in which the dials were held varied slightly

from appliance to appliance, however, the majority

were operated by using the edge of the index nger,

and the thumb as a solid grip. The rotation of the wrist

caused the forces placed on each digit to act against

each other in the same direction, forcing the dial to

turn on its axis.

This research demonstrates that in order to turn a dial

on a variety of appliances, the user requires a decent

gripping ability and a further ability to turn the dial using

rotational strength in the wrist. However, people with

arthritis in these areas may not have such capabilities.


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ResponseIn order to explore the limits of wrist rotation,

the operation of a washing machine was

documented using lm.

These screen shots of an observational video

show that in one movement, the wrist is able

to rotate approximately 180 degrees from its

neutral starting point (in line with lower arm).

Even in a healthy individual this proved to be a

strenuous movement and required signi cant

effort.

In response to the established problem of

turning dials easily, it was decided to design a

device that made these routine actions easier

for sufferers of arthritis.


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Statement of Need

Conducting this initial research facilitated the development

of broad statement for a device to help people with arthritisin their hands use and store keys easier.

The product must be able to accommodate a wide

variety of keys, namely Yale, Chubb, and similar styles.

Turning keys in locks with the aid of the product must be

signi cantly easier than without it.

Although the product may help the user signi cantly, they

must not develop a dependence on it.

The product must provide a user-centered and Inclusive

method of attaching and removing keys, which must also

address the possible elimination of the memory of pain

The design solution must be coherent with InclusiveDesign and Emotional Design philosophies.


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Ben, 22, was asked to open a modern, yet

common locking mechanism, often seen

on doors at the rear of houses.

Ben had problems locking and unlocking

the door, however, rather than due to

physical ability, this was due to poor

feedback systems in place within the

locking mechanism itself. When the door

is locked, it is not obvious that the handle

must rst be pulled up to allow the

mechanism to move freely. This problem is

mirrored when locking the door.

This research emphasises points made

relating to the strength needed to grip and

rotate every day items.

Although it is essentially the task that needs

re-designing, the area is too broad and re-designing a lock and key would not (at this

stage) be applicable for the majority of the

intended market. Therefore, the conceptual

design stage for a Key Turner began.


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MaterialsMaterial choice can affect the functionality, aesthetic and affordability of any product. It was essential to consider the materials qualities before

proceeding with prototyping.


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CESCambridge Engineering Selector (CES) is amaterial selection computer program designedto produce informed design decisions basedon pre-determined factors.

With the use of this software, it was possibleto make informed design decisions based onreliable graphical and tabular data.

The most suitable material for the body of th Dial Turner and Key Turner proved to beAluminium, due to its lightweight, low cost,environmentally resistant and aesethticproperties.


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SUGRUSUGRU is a hand-formable, self-adhesive silcone (ni Dhulchaointigh,2008), developed by Jane ni Dhulchaointigh during a Masters in Design atThe Royal College of Art.

The material is essentially a rubber that is easily snapped and formedwhen pressure is applied to it. The moisture-reactive molecules withinthe material start the curing process, which results in a solid, customisedsilicone grip.

Integrating this new material technology into the Arthritic Solutions hasdistinct advantages over other silicone alternatives.

Mass-produced bespoke1. - despite, in industry, the products wouldbe mass-produced, the user essentially has the nishing touchesEmotional attachment2. - the user creates their own personalised

grip on a product, therefore increasing positive emotional responsesfrom the behavioural and re ective levels of the brain.Durable and hard wearing3. - when set, SUGRU feels and acts likesilicone, therefore has self-healing properties and is extremely impactresistant.Reduced tooling costs4. - SUGRU is ready made and can be injectedinto ready made moulds/grooves (not injection moulding). This isa much more cost effective solution than producing Glass Rub 50moulds for the gripping feature, or commissioning their manufactureelsewhere.Ideal for kitchen use5. - waterproof, thermally stable up to 250oC, anddishwasher-proof.


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Final Solutions


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[as 1 ]

SUGRU

[as 2 ]

SUGRU

rare earth magnets


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ds david stevens design solutions

T : 07912 755725 E : [email protected] www.ds-ign.com


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