Tag Archives: special needs

Is Your Elderly Dog Facing Issues While Walking? This Walking Aid Was Designed For You

Posted on by

As our beloved furry companions age, they may encounter challenges during their strolls that hinder their once effortless mobility. Recognizing the unique needs of senior dogs facing walking-related health issues, 3 designers have unveiled an ingenious solution – the Steady walking aid. This seatbelt-inspired device not only provides vertical support to assist elderly dogs in their walks but also incorporates cutting-edge technology for data analysis, ensuring a holistic approach to the well-being of our canine friends.

Designers: Jungmin Park, Chaewon Lee and Seungha Baek

The foundation of Steady lies in its innovative design, inspired by the structure of a seatbelt. Unlike traditional walking aids that can be cumbersome and restrictive, Steady offers a flexible range of motion while prioritizing comfort, freedom of movement, and adaptability to different terrains for senior dogs. The strap design mimics the safety mechanisms of a seatbelt, cradling the dog’s belly from behind and allowing unhindered walking.

Adjusting the length of Steady is a breeze, thanks to a simple turn of the knob, accommodating dogs of various sizes effortlessly. The device seamlessly integrates with joint-protective clothing, serving as both a walking aid and a harness, streamlining the preparation process before a walk. The strap part of Steady stretches and contracts like a seatbelt, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit for both the dog and the handler. In the event of a sudden rebound, the walking aid tightens securely, preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of our furry companions.

Steady introduces a practical feature that allows it to stand securely by pushing the brake, providing a convenient break for the dog and its owner during their walk. This innovative brake mechanism adds an extra layer of versatility to the device. Moreover, the supporting structure can be rotated for convenient storage after use, making Steady a hassle-free companion for both indoor and outdoor activities.

Complementing the physical product, the Steady app takes the concept of canine care to the next level. By analyzing and presenting information about the dog’s walking patterns, owners can gain valuable insights into their pet’s well-being. The app becomes an essential tool for identifying potential issues that may not be immediately apparent in the pet’s regular behavior, facilitating proactive care for aging dogs.

Getting ready for a walk with Steady is a simple and quick process, requiring just three easy steps. The back height of the device ranges from 250mm to 450mm, ensuring that it caters to the varying needs of different breeds and sizes of senior dogs.

Steady represents a perfect solution that addresses the unique challenges elderly dogs face during their strolls. With its innovative design, safety features, and analytical capabilities, Steady emerges as a practical companion that enhances the quality of life for both senior dogs and their caring owners. As we celebrate the bond between humans and their canine companions, Steady stands as a testament to the power of design and technology in ensuring the well-being of our furry friends in their golden years.

The post Is Your Elderly Dog Facing Issues While Walking? This Walking Aid Was Designed For You first appeared on Yanko Design.

MedEasy: A Medicine Box That Reminds The Elderly Of Their Dosages

Posted on by

MedEasy, a thoughtful medicine box designed for the elderly, aims to address the challenges faced by seniors in managing their medications independently, focusing on regions in India with a significant population of elderly individuals living alone, such as Tamil Nadu and Nagaland.

Designer: Tarun Pahadiya

The primary goal of the MedEasy project is to create a product that serves as a reliable companion for the elderly, helping them remember, manage, and stock their medicines efficiently. With a focus on addressing the loneliness prevalent among seniors living alone, the product aims to contribute to the well-being of this demographic, which constitutes 5.7% of senior citizens in India.

MedEasy primarily caters to elderly individuals who struggle with proper medication adherence due to memory issues or limited motor activities. This includes elderly family members, individuals living alone with forgetfulness concerns, and those dealing with Alzheimer’s issues. Secondary users encompass caretakers, including nurses, young family members, doctors, and NGO helpers who interact with the product to support the primary users.

Conducting extensive market research revealed key insights, emphasizing the importance of addressing sensory degradation with age, monitoring proper medication dosage, reducing dependence on others for medication, and creating a positive and engaging process for medication adherence. Additionally, the elderly often avoid taking their prescribed doses consciously, necessitating reminders and easy refill and dispensing mechanisms, however, I believe there could be a more emotional approach to motivating them to take their dosages which can be explored, rather than just reminders if they avoid them on purpose.

Inspired by the “less but better” ethos of Dieter Rams, the designer employs a minimalist, functional, and timeless design. The prototype underwent rigorous testing, focusing on the sliding-out day sections, the ambidextrous nature of the product, and the ease of interaction with the opening of cells. The color palette reflects morning, noon, and night cues, fostering a visually captivating aesthetic.

Slide Action: The sliding mechanism allows users to effortlessly remove cells, reducing physical effort while providing a smooth experience.

Physical Controls: The product incorporates minimal yet impactful physical controls for essential functions, ensuring ease of use with scrolling and selection.

Clean UI: Employing a simple and calm visual language to minimize visual complexity, fostering a welcoming approach to enhance user interaction with the product.

App Support: The inclusion of a user-friendly app enhances the medication management experience, providing interfaces for tracking medications, dosages, and schedules. This feature enables remote monitoring and management by caregivers, ensuring timely adherence and reducing the risk of errors.

MedEasy is not just a medicine box; it’s a comprehensive solution that empowers elderly individuals to take control of their medication regimen. By combining thoughtful design, cutting-edge technology, and a user-centric approach, MedEasy contributes to the well-being and independence of seniors, ensuring they can lead fulfilling lives with confidence and peace of mind.

The post MedEasy: A Medicine Box That Reminds The Elderly Of Their Dosages first appeared on Yanko Design.

Segway-style, motion-activated ‘standing’ wheelchair helps users confidently navigate life

Posted on by

What is the ultimate freedom for those with lower limb disabilities bound to a wheelchair? A ride that not only helps get around with minimum external human assistance, but that allows one to stand up and sit down with similar convenience. Invaluable modifications have happened to the traditional wheelchair to reach closer to this dream of ultimate freedom.

Joysticks are used for maneuvering the wheelchair through obstacles and mechanics are to allow a wheelchair to rise from the usual sitting position to semi-standing freedom. Addressing this facet with an outstanding new approach is the Kim-e, a segway-styled wheelchair users can stand upright in just a matter of seconds.

Designer: Chronus Robotics

The brainchild of Chronus Robotics, a Lithuanian-based manufacturer, the Kim-e has been developed into a production model over four years of research, prototyping and perfecting. Unlike the traditional wheelchair, the Kim-e is instantly distinguishable with its two-wheeled design. There is no word on pricing or availability at the time of writing, presumably though, it should be out sometime later in the year. You can book a free test ride with Kim-e today.

Things are made ultra-convenient not just by the instant transformation of this wheelchair from sitting to standing in seconds, but more so by its hands-free functionality. Reportedly, Kim-e can be controlled by upper body movement to raise and lower the seat or glide the wheelchair through the crowd. And when you’re ready to hit the road, it can fold up to fit into the boot of your car for easy transportation.

Drawing its power from a lithium battery onboard, Kim-e can power up fully in four hours and travel up to 30 km on a single charge at a top speed of 20 km/h. This wheelchair, along with the built-in battery weighs 38 kg and has a payload bearing capacity of up to 90 kg. Kim-e may have a slightly lesser weight-carrying ability, but it is designed with safety in mind whether you use it in a traditional seated position at the work desk or while strolling upright with your friends in the mall.

Kim-e is equipped with a scissor-lift-type mechanism which allows the seat to raise enough to put the occupant at the eye-level of your companion. No more pushing or tugging. Let your friend/partner wall besides, while you maneuver the wheelchair on your off-road capable tires over sand, gravel or shallow water. At a semi-standing position, Kim-e straps the user’s thigh and even supports one to climb slopes of up to 20 degrees without breaking a sweat.

The post Segway-style, motion-activated ‘standing’ wheelchair helps users confidently navigate life first appeared on Yanko Design.

A Music Instrument for the Hearing Impaired: This Synth uses Tactile and Color Cues Instead of Sound

Posted on by

“Play by ear” as they commonly say, doesn’t really apply to people with hearing impairments. The most common example of a hearing-impaired musical genius remains Beethoven, who composed entire orchestral pieces by relying on what he remembered from a time when he could hear. By the time he reached the peak of his career, Beethoven was completely deaf, but his memory served him well when it came to playing music… not everyone today has that luxury, but the Vibra helps the hearing impaired play music by connecting the audio to other senses like touch and sight.

Designers: Ahn Taegwang, Go Yeongseok, Hwang Jimin, Lee Wonjae

A winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award, Vibra is a new instrument and service that can meet the musical needs of people with hearing impairments. Unlike traditional instruments that rely entirely on auditory feedback, Vibra relies on a combination of vibrations or haptic feedback, and visual cues like color and composition. The musical instrument comes with a modular design that serves the needs of multiple instruments, from key-based to percussive, string, and even electronic. It eventually pairs with an app that allows players to visualize their music. With a fair amount of visual training and consistent practice, hearing-impaired people can use the Vibra to play existing tunes and even compose new music entirely on their own.

The companion app fills in the sensorial gaps left by the auditory impairment. It provides a visual interface that helps conceptualize sound in a graphic sense, allowing people to understand notes, chords, harmonies, and other complex theories through vision instead of sound. The app enables practice, helps users find which instrument they’re more comfortable playing, and also allows them to learn and practice how to play popular tunes!

The Vibra is a Winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2023.

The post A Music Instrument for the Hearing Impaired: This Synth uses Tactile and Color Cues Instead of Sound first appeared on Yanko Design.