Month: June 2022

Accessibility Design Challenge –

Group: Scarlett, Catherine, Ella, Onikka, Riley, and Gabby.

• Empathy and Define 

For this project, our goal was to make an everyday task more manageable for Molly. After meeting her and asking her questions we decided that an issue that impedes her daily life is the difficulties she faces with her cane. Her cane resides on the floor, thus causing an issue when she needs to find it. Our goal was to provide a solution that would allow her easy access to her cane.

Our official problem statement: How might we create a device to provide a solution involving the daily struggles  and maneuverability that occur from the usage of a cane.

• Ideate 

Initially, we came up with the idea of a clamp that could be squeezed to fit the table and the cane could be pushed into it. However, upon thought, we realized that it may be difficult to squeeze with Molly’s dexterity.

Secondly, we thought of a C clip that would allow her to simply push the device onto the table and push her cane into it. This was a better idea until we learned the specifics involving how her cane folds.

Finally, we needed an idea that would allow better support for her cane, which lead us to the idea of attaching a bag to our C clip device.

• Prototype and Test

Our initial Prototype:

The prototype we created was simple. A 3D printed C clip with a taped-on metal piece that allows for it to connect to the surface or table where it was inserted.

Pros –

– The idea of the shape primarily worked. It fit on surfaces and would be able to support the weight of the cane.

– The general shape was almost perfect and could be replicated in a larger form.

– The metal piece will work as a solution to the clamping on the table.

Cons –

– The piece slides around the table.

– Because it’s a squared C shape the tension point all rests in a corner, causing breakage and eventually it will snap.

– The metal piece gets bent after repeated use because the device is too small overall to support to metal’s long-lasting capabilities.

Feedback –

– Molly will need to be able to transport it easily.

– Bag needs to be easily held open as searching for an opening is difficult.

– Device needs to have something that takes the tension off the corner to be more stable.

• Final Project 

 

Overall we came up with solutions to our technical issues and feedback.

1. To fix the sliding we added grips to certain parts of the device using hot glue. Our goal was to create a gripping system like you would see on the bottom of a sock.
2. We changed the corner to be rounded with a ball instead of an L corner to create a tensionless section where pressure could snap it.
3. We made the C longer, wider, and taller to allow the metal piece to have more room, which will decrease its bending and damage.
4. We added a hook to the bag. That was when molly needs to transport the device she can pull the C off the table, place it in the bag, and use the hook on the bag to attach it to the backpack she wears every day,
5. And, finally, to solve the dexterity issue, I crocheted the bag. This will help it be more supported and hold its shape, making it easy to find the large opening.

• Reflection

My role in this project:

For this project, my main role was helping to design and create a bag of some form to hold Molly’s cane. This bag had to be accessible to her, meaning easy to use with a low dexterity, as well as easy to carry around and not take up too much space. The actual design of the bag proved to be more difficult than the crocheting, which I did not anticipate. I found that every pattern I searched for were much too complex with the handles and opening of the bags. Many of the patterns also created a bag that was too large, and would take up too much space in Molly’s bag.

Therefore, I had to make my own design. This was a fun creative challenge for me, and I had a lot of fun spending my evenings crocheting, knowing that with a design of my own, I could create it to fit Molly’s specific needs, as well as make it something more personal than a bag bought at a store.

My responsibilities:

-I was responsible with creating the design of the bag

-I was responsible with crocheting the bag and making our idea come to life in that way

Contributions:

Mainly, I am proud of the bag that I created to hold Molly’s cane, as it was something of my own design. I am also proud that I was able to make the design come to fruition.

What I learned:

Something that I learned is that there is more than one way to create an idea that you may have. I had the idea of a crochet bag, but I was not certain as to how I should make that idea a reality. With some research, watching videos and googling patterns, I discovered many good ideas, but none that perfectly fit what I saw in my head. That is why I decided to create my own pattern as I went, and it turned out to be just what we needed.

What I learned from Molly:

Something that I learned from Molly was that it is difficult for her to adjust to change. As someone without a disability, I had never considered this before, as my routine is changing almost everyday. But for someone like Molly, the continuity in her day to day schedule can be grounding. Learning this showed me that even if our project works perfectly for her, she still may not choose to integrate it into her routine.

What I enjoyed:

During this project, I really enjoyed getting to hear about Molly’s experience at our school as a person who is blind. She told us about how it is difficult for her to navigate, as there is not any brail. This makes it difficult for her to have much independence. As a teenager as well, I cannot imagine how frustrating that could be for her, as I love it when I can have just a little bit of independence. I enjoyed hearing from her, as well as the people that she spends a lot of time with, as it helped put into perspective for me how she lives every day, and what little things we can do to make her life a bit easier.

In the future:

In the future I think that it is important to create a personal connection with the student, as they are not only their disability. This project is about creating something for that person, that would positively impact their lives. Unlike some other projects, it is not just for a mark but about creating something for someone in our community. If we were to do this project again, I would recommend that we get to know the student a bit more, other than what they struggle with.