2013-2015
Highlighted methods:
- State of the art literature research
- Use research
- Concept testing
- Usability testing
State of the Art research on hand orthotics
Literature review shows which current technologies are used in hand orthotics.
Hand tasks in daily life
The literature shows a lot of advanced research projects on hand orthotics. Scary-looking robotics, often large and bulky. Every engineer’s dream. But what do today’s stroke patients really need? Which daily activities do they struggle with most? Which product functionality could improve their quality of living? A quantitative analysis of commonly used hand grasps resulted in the main function for the orthosis: supporting a cylindrical hand grip. User requirements for the hand orthosis were gathered through literature and interviews.
Concept test
Concept testing is a useful method to gather information from stakeholders in the early stages of the design process. Three concepts were proposed and shown to patients representative for the user group. The concepts were presented to the participants with a visualization and description of the functionality and features. A questionnaire was used to collect their input. By doing this early in the process, no time was wasted on concepts that would not be accepted by users.
Prototyping
Different solutions for attaching the mechanics to the fingers were explored. High force transmissions are required to help the patient use their hand, but this might compromise comfort. The wrist brace design was customized by means of 3D scanning and 3D printing.
The resulting prototype was tested with volunteering patients.
