The Branch Concept Adaptive Shifting by Court Skabelund
Table of Contents - Design Research - Competitive Landscape - User Needs - Ideation - Prototyping - Concept Renderings
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Understanding Tetraplegia Tetraplegia is a complex injury to the high spinal chord. Injuries above the C8 spinal vertebrae most likely result in tetraplegia. Although a person may be diagnosed with tetraplegia they may regain limited movement in their extremities. For example, people with injuries C6 and below often have bicep and wrist movement. The control of these muscles allows many quads to remain nearly independent after their injury.
~260,000
individuals living with a spinal cord injury
Persons with injuries C5 and above will most likely not be handcycling due to their lack of wrist motion.
At C6 wrist muscles are established, at C7 triceps muscles are established and at C8 back muscles are established.
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Working with Andy Dahmen Working with Andy we observed that small tasks often become extremely difficult. Things like zipping up a jacket or putting the phone on the charger are tasks Andy struggles with. We understand that less movement paired with simple movements are key to accomplishing tasks.
Less + Simple 2
Shifting on the Handcycle Today the handcycle allows disabled athletes to go further and faster than ever before. Despite tremendous advancements, many users, like Andy, are required to adapt and tune their bikes specifically for themselves.
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Competitive Landscape / User Needs Top End Force RX Quad Elite Shifters: + Easy Shifting + No Hand Removal
- Limits Higher Spinal Chord Injury Persons - Bulky - Brand Specific
FreedomRyder FRH-1 Q Shifting/Breaking + Braking + Shifting
- Limits Higher Spinal Chord Injury Persons - Bulky - Brand Specific
Top End Double Tap Frame Mounted Shifters + No Hand Removal + Unobtrusive + Promotes Higher Spinal Chord Injury Persons
- Difficult to Shift - Limited Shifting
Shift without removing hands Simple Movement Sleek Universal bike mount Unobtrusive when entering and exiting the bike Promotes High Spinal Chord Injury Persons
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Elbow Shifting The process has lead us through lectures on tetraplegia, design research, sketching, and rapid prototyping.
Mapping the Elbow
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Sketching
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Prototyping 3D Printing was used for the majority of the prototyping process. This allowed for rapid prototyping of complex forms.
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“Branch” Concept Elbow Shifting meets a mechanical solution that works! Branch adapts SRAM™ DoubleTap® shifters to allow high injury persons to shift seamlessly during their ride. Branch adjusts vertically, rotating paddle,and folds to accommodate riders entering and exiting the bike.
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Hit the Paddle for easy shifting during your bike ride.
The Branch slots to bike mount for vertical adjustment
Rotate the Branch for Entering and exiting the bike.
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