MULTI-SPORT RETENTION SYSTEM Creating an easier way to enjoy life Stella Liechty
DES 4610 Fall 2014
A retention system to help those who love to play; play a little harder.
Terminology SCI
Spinal Cord Injury
TETRAPLEGIA
Also known as Quadriplegia
INCOMPLETE INJURY
Person has some sensation and limited movement below injury
Complete injury
Person has no sensation or movement below injury
Back Story For the Fall 2014 semester, our studio project was to improve the human experience for people with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). We had the opportunity to work with Dr. Rosenbluth from the Spinal Cord Acute Rehabilitation Center at the University of Utah’s healthcare center as well as Tanja and Casey from the TRAILS program run in association with the Outdoor Recreation Program on campus. Through Dr. Rosenbluth’s connections, we had the opportunity to get a glimpse inside the initial rehab process, and through working with TRAILS, we had the opportunity to not only meet and talk to a variety of people with SCIs, but also had the chance to work hands-on with a variety of adaptive equipment. Early in the semester, we met a man named Andy who, during a mountain bike accident 9 years ago, broke his back and suffered an incomplete injury. This means that because his back broke at the C5 vertebra, he has partial feeling in both arms, almost no hand control, and only control over his upper torso. As we met with him the first day, I noticed his movement, and how he managed to hold himself up in his wheelchair by swinging his shoulder and hooking his elbow on the wheelchair handle behind him. That one movement led me to become more curious about how tetra- and quadriplegics stay comfortably & securely in not only wheelchairs every day, but in adaptive equipment while participating in sometimes extreme sports.
Context & Precedents When introducing spinal cord injuries to us, Dr. Rosenbluth outlined a handful of the major issues that people with SCIs suffer from for the duration of their life. These included thermo-regulation, quality of life–often due to becoming sedentary and affecting overall health, pain management, and high cost of medical equipment and health care. These are issues that everyone with a spinal cord injury deals with and I determined that moving forward the product I created would be able to retail for under $100. Similarly, I wanted to try and address and solve as many of the other issues as possible and absolutely met my goal. In continuing my research, I found that some of the best Adaptive Sport Programs in the United States were using boat tie downs and back braces to secure participants to sit skis, bikes, and chairs during activities–proving the need for something better.
Target market Primary Persona:
Secondary Persona:
Adult Male
Adult Male
Active and adventurous prior to Injury
Nature Lover
Willing to take risks and try new things
Looking to improve quality of life
Independent
Limited Income
Limited Income
An outdoorsman sustains a SCI that has left him
A lover of the outdoors, with little to no previous
paralyzed from roughly the C5 vertebra down.
experience with outdoor sports, sustains a SCI leaving
Becoming a partial tetraplegic with limited trunk
them tetraplegic and with an incomplete injury. After
and upper limb control, he need assistance doing the
the injury, his life becomes sedentary and he begins
things and participating in the sports he loves but
looking for ways to get involved in outdoor sports
wants to keep his independence while doing so.
year round without spending a fortune..
Process Determined to make a product that was simple and allowed participation by the user, the most sensible product to make was a wrap in which the user could make an effort to help with putting it on.
A later iteration proved that measurements, angles, and points of attachment all needed a massive amount of work.
Laying out side and front panels of an early prototype to guarantee shape, fit and proper function.
Early considerations for insulation and padding included: inflatable pads, using sleeping pads, and chair cushions. All were rejected due to lack of breathability, high cost, or lack of water resistance.
Sketches
Digital Renderings Exterior
interior
Wrapped
The Multi-Sport Retention System is a versatile product that can be used in the snow, on the water, road, or trail depending where the adventure leads. It creates an opportunity for participants with spinal cord injuries to learn or relearn activities that will get them out of their comfort zone and back to life. Both the HDPE plastic back support and closed-cell, water resistant PVC foam insulation are removable depending on the equipment and season of the activity. High quality materials are used to guarantee a long-lasting, safe and comfortable product.
Simple, wide design allows wearer to get in and out of retention system with Limited dexterity and minimal assistance
Manufacturing Considerations
Each panel must all be assembled separately before being combined into the final product. Webbing must be sewn or adhered to assist in maintaining position on the wrap. HDPE + Foam Slats to be inserted into pockets by seller or buyer.
Business considerations materials (Estimate)
labor (Estimate)
Cordura $10.77/Yard
0.5 Wraps per hour
Neoprene $3.90/Yard
@ $10 an Hour
Velcro $2.55/Yard Spandex $6.99/Yard webbing $1.60/Yard Total cost
$15.60 Ea.
Total cost $20.00 EA.
Cost $35.60 Wholesale $71.20 Retail $142.40
Although keeping production in the U.S. many of those buying the retention system are more concerned about the price of the product over the details of production. In order to keep prices reasonable and attractive, production would likely be moved to Taiwan or India–paying special attention to the working conditions of the factories producing. During initial development, handmade pieces will be sold directly to Adaptive Sports programs which will fund the movement forward to get international production rolling. After the first three years of production, sales will broaden from direct sales to selling at trade shows and through buyers–allowing the product to reach a larger consumer base on the commercial level.
Going forward In the time given for the semester, only the torso portion of the system was developed–but if there is interest shown in the product, pieces to secure, stabilize and insulate both the upper and lower legs will be developed to complete the retention system and improve the entire experience for the user. In feedback from both participants and those in the community, this is a product that can be put to use immediately and one that has a wider variety of uses and applications than initially anticipated. Because 80% of those who suffer from spinal cord injuries are male, this product was developed to fit the male body. In the future, development for a retention system to fit the female figure better would be in order, as well as equipment that is more comfortable and compatible for women. Another update that would be worthwhile to spend time developing in the future of the system, is how to make it a low-emissions product with recycled or re-used products.