Objects of Interest (Asynchronous Session)
Designing for the Activities of Daily Living: A Taxonomic Review of Hand Grasp Techniques in a Domestic Context View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Karen Yévenes, Eddi Pianca, Elivio Bonollo
The Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) describe the essential daily actions performed by older persons in undertaking everyday chores. The ADLs frequently involve interactions with equipment, tools, and appliances to facilitate independence in one’s senior years. Industrial designers often generate this equipment and thus, it is desirable for designers to have a thorough understanding of the range of hand grasp postures employed by older persons, particularly when they are afflicted with declining dexterity. This review synthesises the knowledge that is available in the literature concerning human hand grasp taxonomies, and to identify how existing studies can aid and inform future research into hand grasps, particularly of older persons with arthritis of the hand. The review includes a search of human hand grasp taxonomies by using search engines such as Google Scholar, Academia, and Research Gate and searches of journals that are available at two university library databases. Titles reviewed include those related to the fields of industrial design, ergonomics, biomechanics, gerontology, rheumatology, osteoarthritis, hand surgery, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Robotic hands (mechanical engineering or mechatronics), artificial and prosthetic limbs, and haptic technology are also included as they are disciplines that investigate the normal function of the human hand as the benchmark for assistive device design. The results of the exploratory literature review are presented in a tabulated format and will support future research design concerning the methods and instruments used to gather data to inform new product development.
Guidelines for Bio-inspired Design that Raise Awareness about Domestic Air Quality View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Elena Brebenel
This paper discusses how guidelines for design that raise awareness about domestic air quality have emerged through a practice-led bio-inspired textile research, design that in addition to raising awareness empowers people to improve their homes and contributes to their wellbeing. The research process started with the development of eight interactive textile artefacts that drew inspiration from scientific literature, with a focus on the nest behaviour of the female blue tit bird (Cyanistes Caeruleus). Thus, it utilized bio-inspiration as a way to abstract design principles from biological models and apply them to the design of artefacts. In addition, it drew inspiration from the design of rituals. This allowed the creation of ritualistic interactions that consist of repetitive actions that have a meaning which can stimulate awareness. Following the development of the textile artefacts, they were evaluated through two iterative adoption experiments in which the artefacts in their role as domestic probes were placed in participants’ homes. Analysis of the data collected in the form of interviews and personal journal studies showed the potential the artefacts have not only in raising awareness about air quality, but also in generating a sense of wellbeing at home, and in empowering people to improve their homes. Informed by these findings, guidelines for bio-inspired design that raises awareness about air quality were established.
Orthesis to Aid in Painting Activities for Children and Teenagers with Multiple Sensory Disabilities: A Co-design Process Made by Users and Designers View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Denise Dantas
The aim of this project was to develop a low cost orthesis in order to aid children and teenagers with multiple sensory disabilities perform painting activities. The equipment helps the users to paint and/or participate in any other activities that involve a brush. It supports the hands and, therefore, improves coordination and engagement in such activities. The main challenges when developing the product were the lack of a dimensional and functional pattern based on age (as established in the classic literature for ergonomics) as well as the difficulty to obtain the correct dimensioning and functionality for the product. Another pivotal aspect was the use of low cost materials and production processes that allowed distribution under a creative commons license as well as easy replicability. In order to achieve that, regular visits to the partner institution were made as a way of monitoring the activities. The visits were filmed and photographed and, later, the footage was analysed. Interviews were conducted with teachers and the institution's pedagogical coordinator monitored the process. Prototypes were developed and tested by the teachers. In order to validate the proposal, there was an assessment of student engagement in activities with the use of the orthesis. After the tests, a final prototype and two manuals were elaborated, which are under creative commons license. The co-design process involved all stakeholders and proved to be indispensable for this project, which despite having low production complexity, has high complexity from an ergonomic, functional, usability and acceptance point of view.
Designing and Assessment of a Health Care Product: A Case Study of Aquatic Therapy Product View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nuri Başoğlu, Canan Gundogan, Eda Corbacioglu
This study develops a design of a new aqua therapy product that provides an easier treatment process. The product is built to be accessible in houses which minimizes the travel, time, effort, and financial difficulties. Patients with MS illness start moving their muscles which they cannot move; because the water has a lifting force which reduces the weight of the patient. During the study, an expert of the field gave the basics of physical therapy and a long term continuous observation was realized. Semi structured in-depth face to face interviews were conducted by 14 patients and different type of difficulties encountered were identified. Think-a-loud session with two patients that took two hours have provided chance to witness one to one and detailed steps of actions and emotional reactions to those situations. Compiling input from all those techniques and literature review provided robust input for a quantitative measurement instrument and design of an aqua therapy product. Later the product has been assessed with the help of developed instrument that included more than 60 question items. An analysis of the product by the instrument provided a thorough feedback that identified most critical determinants of satisfaction. The product were expected to support privacy, increased frequency of use, time considerations, movement flexibility and quality of treatment. It is also commented that perceived usefulness would be escalated by some guidance documents, trialability and personalization possibility. Second round of design considering those findings will improve the product’s performance and multiply its effect positively.
