Cane for elderly - 2 projects report

The Elderly Report on evolutive and radical projects Diane SERANT | AHO 2015 | Industrial Product Design Master

Summary First Project - The Optimistic Cane [Evolution part]

4

Starting Point

5

Research

6

Insights

8

Moodboards

10

First concepts

14

Project development

17

Specifications

18

In situ

22

Second Project - The Life’s Tutor [Radical part]

24

Starting point

25

Moodboard

26

First sketches

28

2nd evolution

30

Some more research

31

Studies

33

3rd evolution

35

Specifications and deductions

37

Final concept and development

38

Materials

40

Conclusion

42 3

The Optimistic Cane Evolution project about the elderly

Starting point

First, when the subject came up, I directly thought about my mother who really wants to buy a cane for my grandmother who is getting slower and slower with the years passing. But my granny is kind of disdainful with other elderly, because she does not see her as such and so I remembered a quote from her: « Look at them, all these elderly who can’t walk by themselves!”. And so it really shows that at least my grandma has a really bad image of the cane.

So this is where my idea to make a joyful, optimistic cane came up! I wanted to re-introduce a good image of the cane in people’s minds. And then, with a journey to the elderly centre I noticed that elderly and not only my grandma thought about the cane and other medical objects that they were more about an aid, and not a tool. So it is stigmatizing for them as old people that need help; even though they have some special needs like getting up, sitting down, help to carry groceries etc.

My teacher -Steinar Killi- showed me the work from a former AHO student -Johan Schreiner- who also worked on 3 different canes. This was my starting point.

The Craftsman

The ballet dancer

The Engineer

5

Research Then I looked at every kind of canes (normal, carved, for blind people, technologic canes, crutches, hiking poles...) to see what is already made in the cane universe.

I also looked at the handle universe (vacuum cleaner handle, door handle, kitchen tools...) to see how companies worked with hand’s ergonomy.

The elderly products/universe was also very interesting to look into: it really looks medical as if elderly do not matter about the beauty of a product anymore. This is why it is so stigmatizing and why they do not like using it. Indeed, they prefer using a hiking pole instead of a cane because it does not look that stigmatized but much more sportive, as to say “elderly are still in!”

6

Then, I have made some searches about why canes are so stigmatised nowadays because it used to be a very common accessory for people at a time. And I found out that it just declined with time, cause it used to replace the sword gentlemen used to wear (like the cane-sword/umbrella sword), and then it slowly disappeared because brigandage disappeared slowly as well so it was not used so often.

Based on that, I made different moodboards about Optimism because it is a blurry notion. And this helped me a lot (see on pages 10 to 13)

7

Insights These are the deductions I came out with:

Facts

SPECIAL

PRODUCTS

PHYSICAL

ARE NOT

NEEDS

OPTIMISTIC

Elderly do not want to be stigmatized They have special needs But they do not want to use the medical aids

8

Needs

Balance between the weigh of the tool and the stability it provides.

Getting-up | Sitting-down Help for carrying groceries They need to like what they use for their mood

9

POSITIVE

COLORFUL

FR

EE FORME

OPTIMISTIC SHAPES

LIGHTNESS

BRIGHTNESS

IMAGINATION

First concepts With these moodboards and the knowledge I took from all the researches I made, I came out with three different concepts:

/The revolving jewel

Concept #1

More like a crutch that you can fold and use just like a normal cane. The design draw inspiration from robotic for the rotary part, but the whole thing was thought to be more aesthetical than a normal medical crutch.

14

/The framed light

Concept #2

Light is used as a double meaning: first, it is light in term of weight because it is just a frame in aluminium and cork. Secondly, it is light because the handle could rotate on itself and provide light for watching your steps or maybe giving you light when you want to open the door or look for something you lost.

15

/The sportive one

Concept #3

Inspired by the sportive universe, the handle could be covered by Pebax MX1717 which is an elastomer by Arkema and diffusing a fragrance that you can choose. It is also easy to colour and it makes a good grip for the hand. The foot would be inspired by running blades, used by disable people first like Oscar Pistorius, and used by able people to run faster or jump higher. So this draws the picture of a tool and not an aid for people.

16

Project development Then I had to make a choice of which concept I will develop. And because I remembered that elderly prefer to use hiking pole, I picked the 3rd concept: the sportive one.

But it was too much for the Evolution part, so I had to get back.

To do this, I picked a brand, Newfeel which is a brand specialised in the walking activity, daily but also sportive. Their products are well-thought and democratic.

They already made 3 different hiking poles. But it is not a brand made for elderly. So I decided to improve it with the characteristics of one of the best hiking poles on the market which has more grips and could help elderly to get up and sit down more easily.

This brand

Newfeel

+

These characteristics

For this purpose

Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork

I mixed a cane, and two hiking poles to end up with my final product made for Newfeel. I kept the diagonal lines, added colours, a longer handle, added the graphics that were already on the previous one, and tried to give it a more optimistic shape with the rounded part.

17

Specifications So I changed the handle to be grabbed in several positions, we could add a Pebax MX1717* grip on the winter time because it is better for the hand in the coldness, otherwise the handle would be in cork, better in the warmness of the summertime and it is a really good material in the matter of shock absorption.

The smell that the Pebax could diffuse could also be optimistic and be like a Madeleine de Proust for elderly. They could choose the colour and the smell they want for the Pebax grip. So it adds a more personal expression in the cane that relates to the person.

Pebax

Poly Ether Block Amide copolymere

by Arkema

+

-

Very light

Ephemer fragrance

«Best» chemistry and mechanic properties of thermoplastic elastomers

Does not resist to high temperatures

Slow and steady fragrance diffusion

Inflammable

Bad performance with water

Easy to colour Recyclable Possibility to be flexible Olfactory thermoplastic polymere, made by polycondensation

The desire is really important in a daily using tool. This is why I wanted to make it as such as they want to use it, like a fashionable object (cf: glasses).

This cane answers the question: “How to give the envy to the elderly to use a cane? How to make the cane a more desirable object for the elderly?”

18

19

The cane could also change height like the Newfeel one, so it is adjustable to the person. And it is known that elderly are getting shorter with time. So they could keep it as long as they need/want it.

up to 130cm

twist from 80cm

20

Prototype made of iron tube and stereolitographical printed details.

Pebax grip for winter and for the smell

several hands’ positions

pad for concreet

21

If produced, the body is the same as the one that Newfeel already produces.

And the handle could be moulded cork, ballasted because it is too light/fragile with either plastic or metal.

The Life’s Tutor Radical project about the elderly

Starting point When I first started to work on the radical part of this project, I was thinking about going deeper in one of my first three concepts (see on page 14) (because it was already “too far� for an evolutive point of view).

So I started looking at crutching and start sketching canes and crutches after defining my persona and the ambiance (see pages 26 to 29) I wanted to give to this object thanks to a moodboard and from my concept #1 and #3 of my evolutive part (like mixing them together).

I have also moulded my hand print with clay to try to define the best ergonomy possible for grabbing, because I know that blisters are often an issue with this kind of products with hands frictions.

So first, I thought about a memory form handle with a very casual aesthetical cane. But as I said, it was not as radical as I wanted my project to be.

25

First sketches Title

Georges

Age range: from the late 50’s He feels he need a cane to support him times to times cause he is getting tired; but who really cares about how he looks and he does not really want people to know that the cane is for helping but just for the style.

He is the -hypster- elderly of tomorrow!

A former active person, like middle manager or higher position He is maybe recovering from an injury that made his legs weaker

29

2nd evolution But then, during my first peer-review, I just came out with a more radical idea, a prospective design: something placed around the leg as a hand-free device. I liked this idea more than the normal cane I was drawing before. It was for me more radical and more exciting.

Since I did not know what kind of technic or system it could use, one of my classmates –Jonas Aalberg- showed me the work of the Harvard BioLab in soft robotic and the device is using an inflatable system for bending, twinsting and so on. The developers of this system were thinking about using it for arthritis.

Harvard BioLab inflatable soft robotic system

30

Some more research I also looked at the proesthetic field to see how I could shape it nicely:

I liked this solution because it was answering my new insight which was to be hands free and could let the elderly do things with both of his hands instead of puting the cane aside while he needs them.

31

Then I was enthusiastic about this new system I just discovered. I drew some sketches again, more around the leg for stabilising the elderly. I have read articles and publications about elderly, including one about a sensor shoe (the B-shoe) which balances the elderly when they get unstable. (A sensor is placed under the foot.) This also reinforced my idea about the “around the leg” device I was drawing.

The B-shoes The system is apparently compatible with al kind of shoes

I came back with three new concepts in my second peer-review, and they told me that one of my classmates found a lot of new systems that can help me in my design. So I went to her –Melina Hozhabri, and she showed me a bench of new materials that I could use: Shape memory alloy: is an alloy that «remembers» its original shape and that when deformed returns to its pre-deformed shape when heated.

Armourgel: new energy absorbing material, designed to alter the way we think about protecting the human body from impact and injury.

Hydrogel: transparent rubber-like material that can adhere to surfaces. The hydrogel has a toughness to the bond between cartilage and tendon.

32

...

Studies Afterwards, I remembered two studies I have read about the subject, that stood out and cought my attention. Both were very relevant.

First from www.interiordesign2015.com:

ÂŤFalls are a especially scary issue for elderly men and women they can end result in injuries that get months to heal. One particular statistic states that one particular in 3 people aged 65 or older in the US has seasoned injuries from falls, and the percentage only goes up as individuals age.

Numerous elderly folks are embarrassed to use assistive devices like canes or walkers.Âť

33

Second found in the US National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health, research named Perspectives on Use of Mobility Aids in a Diverse Population of Seniors: Implications for Intervention by Linda Resnik, Susan Allen, Deborah Isenstadt, Melanie Wasserman, and Lisa Iezzoni. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2768139/] : It is a study about exploring the attitudes towards mobility aids conducted on 61 persons aged 65+ years (white, black, hispanic). ÂŤThe results show that for all groups, perceived benefits of mobility devices in maintaining independence and control produced positive attitudes. However, the association of mobility aid use with aging and physical decline contributed to stigmatizing attitudes. They [Black and Hispanic participants] expressed apprehension about using unsafe or inappropriate secondhand equipment, heightened concerns about mobility aid users becoming subjects of negative biases, and a preference for fashionable aids. Hispanic participants expressed a preference for human assistance. Participants of all groups perceived physicians as influencing their decisions to use aids.

Social pressures and perceived stigma deter mobility aid use, particularly in minority populations. Greater physician involvement, positive peer models and affordable, safe, visually appealing devices would promote greater acceptance of mobility aids.

Many older adults who might benefit from using mobility aids do not or will not use them.

34

The benefits of mobility aids for persons with difficulty walking include reducing fall risk, enhancing confidence, and increasing autonomy, yet many who might benefit from using mobility aids do not use them.

Research suggests that a perceived increase in safety afforded by a device may offer the strongest predictor of mobility aid use, whereas perceived social stigma reduces acceptance and contributes to mobility aid abandonment, and the desire to avoid stigma associated with device use may override desire to increase independent mobility.

Thus, it is important to develop interventions that will encourage and facilitate use of mobility devices to enhance quality of life and social participation [...].Âť Study results suggest the following measures to promote mobility aid acceptance among diverse groups of elders: [...] providing consumers with choice of equipment style and design; and production of safe, lower cost mobility aids that are affordable or reimbursed by third party payers.Âť

3rd evolution However, because my mind changed about my project with some reflexions said in the peer-review presentation, and because I remembered when I have tried the aging suit that my shoulders were going forward, forcing me to bend over because of the heavy weight, I thought about a device for helping elderly not to bend over: a device to help to stand straight.

Aging simulator suit compostion

Yellow glasses

Ear plug Neck brace

Heavy coat Elbow pad

Wristle weight

Mitains

Knee pad

Ankle weight

Reduces your movements and your senses 35

Me, trying on the aging simulator suit around

And because standing straight is about the back, I thought about a piece of clothing. So I sketched jackets, vests, T-shirts and other things which draw inspiration from scoliosis corset, horse-riding coat, western chaps, kimono, harnesses and so on.

36

Specifications and deductions

Next, because I did not know which one could be the one after drawing some of these clothes, I made a specification list, and asked another designer friend –Antoine Lecharny- what he thought about this.

I wanted the garment to be wearable in any kind of weather because it is something you are supposed to use every day for walking like a cane; and because it has to support the back, it will be thigh since it has to be close to your body (and not to be the third layer on top); and it does not have to be stigmatizing for the elderly who will wear it.

And this is with these specifications that I told him that he thought that the best way to meet these needs could be with a normal t-shirt with a dorsal/backbone. I also wanted to add some padding in case of falling cause even if we try to prevent it; we can’t prevent every single case of falling (or even shocks) and hips (and bones in general) become fragile with time.

37

Final concept & development Then I decided to make a T-shirt preventing the elderly to use a cane. So it is a T-shirt you use from 60 to 80 and instead of using a cane around 70, it could help you aging in a better shape without using a cane for longer. Because it can be easily-made by sewing, it can be cheap to make and to buy.

I draw some models, got inspired by corsets and technical jackets for (horse) cross and other sport jackets for the back protection. Then I also made some clay model for the structural part (backbone). The model will be adaptable thanks to clips on the front like corsets. That way it is easier to get in/out and better for maintaining as well.

38

The concept - standard women T-shirt (normal maintain)

Compresion garment: PowersoftÂŽ

Breathable garment: Equarea

Adjustements part: clips like on corsets

Backbone for support: Cork

Protection pads: ArmougelÂŽ Breathable garment: Equarea

That way, the customer could buy a pack of this, and there would be a range of this T-shirts:

- Long sleeves, with a collar for the winter

- Better maintain for standing straight for activities that require this (like sitting in front of a computer)

- Better bending capacity for other activities (like gardening where we need to bend over or to squat)

- Male and female one (because of the differences in the shapes like hips, waist, chest) for a better ergonomy

- And of course, different sizes The range

39

Materials The T-shirt is made out of: Powersoft by Secondskin: - Made from Powernet + XTRA_DRYÂŽ component - Softer, more breathable, moisture wicking fabric - Used for compression garments - Absorbs the moisture and tperspiration: quick drying - Characteristics do not diminish with laundering Powernet by Secondskin: - Used for compression garments - Open weave fabric - Adds support and compression - Particularly durable in work, school or outdoor activities - Provide postural control and positioning to specific joints and body surfaces - Long life expectancy

Equarea by Decathlon: - Body temperature and moisture are regulated - Perspiration is absorbed and wicked away actively - Quick to dry - Easy care (Equarea benefits remain wash after wash) - Patented anti-irritation

Armourgel by Armourgel: - New energy absorbing material - May be incorporated directly into a garment to shield against impacts and abrasions - Light - Efficient

40

Cork composite - Waterproof but breathable - Buoyant - Elastic - Durable - Shock absorbant - Fire retardant properties - Non-allergenic - Very light - Good friction lining material ÂŤCork-based composites still maintain the properties of pure cork. At the same time, however, the presence of another component can make the material more suitable for a specific use. For instance, stronger or more resistant materials can be obtained.Âť Found on decodedscience.org

About the prototype, because I did not have enough time for making the whole range, I decided to make the female basic T-shirt with the normal maintain.

And so, as read on the studies, it wouldn’t be stigmatizing for elderly since it would look like a normal t-shirt.

41

Conclusion On both projects

42

I really enjoyed working on these two projects. But I feel that, because my final idea concept for the radical part came out quiet late in the design process, I wish I could have had more time to go throught it better. By that, I mean realizing a real prototype, contacting the companies to know if they would be interested in my project, try my project on long term circumstances with the target and make some adjustements based on what they could have tell me to change.

Nevertheless, I encountered several difficulties on these projects: First, communicating with elderly with who I do not share the language was very difficult for me as French.

Secondly, the elderly target group is for me, as disable people, a difficult target because each problem causes another problem because of age, deseases, efforts and so on. So it was very challenging for me to try to put myself into their shoes but it is the role of the designer.

Thanks to that project, I know another target group better and I think that, even if it is a ‘tricky’ one (for me), it is really relevant when it comes to the matter of creating universal design like OXO had done for some projects (like oxo good grip peeler which is inspired by one of the designers’ wife arthritis). I might continue this second project to push it farther and make it real!

OXO Good grips handle design development

43