Tag Archives: special needs

Revolutionary Prosthetic Foot achieves human-level flexibility and grip without motors or electronics

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Imagine the constant challenge of navigating everyday life without the natural flexibility of your feet. This is the reality for many amputees who rely on prosthetic feet that can feel clunky and restrictive. These prosthetics often lack the ability to adapt to uneven terrain or provide the natural push-off needed for a smooth gait. However, a groundbreaking design from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is poised to change the game for amputees everywhere. The SoftFoot Pro is a prototype prosthetic foot that is a literal and metaphorical leap forward in prosthetic design, mimicking the structure and movement of the human foot. Unlike conventional prosthetics that prioritize sturdiness or offer minimal flexibility, the SoftFoot Pro boasts an ingenious design that offers human-like foot flexibility and dexterity… without a single motor, servo, circuit board, or battery.

Designer: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Shedding the weight and complexity of motors and electronics, the SoftFoot Pro achieves impressive functionality through a clever combination of mechanics and materials. At its core is a mobile arch mechanism, crafted from lightweight yet robust titanium or aluminum alloy. This arch connects to five parallel chains, made from high-strength plastic segments that replicate the metatarsal and phalange bones of the human foot. Elastic connectors, acting like tendons, link the segments within each chain.

The brilliance of the SoftFoot Pro lies in the details. Running through each chain is an internal steel cable that anchors to the prosthetic’s heel. This cable, along with the elastic connectors, mimics the plantar fascia – the band of tissue in the human foot that stores and releases energy with each step. This ingenious design allows the SoftFoot Pro to absorb impact, propel the user forward with a natural push-off, and even conform to uneven surfaces. This enhanced flexibility translates to greater stability and a more natural gait for users.

Weighing in at a mere 450 grams (1 pound), the SoftFoot Pro is incredibly lightweight despite its ability to support users weighing up to 100 kg (220 lbs). Initial trials conducted at Hannover Medical School and the Medical University of Vienna have yielded promising results. Amputees who participated in the trials experienced a significant improvement in their gait, with increased balance and a more natural walking experience on various terrains.

The applications of the SoftFoot Pro extend beyond human users. Researchers have also successfully tested the design on robots, including the Anymal quadruped robot and the HRP-4 humanoid robot. This versatility highlights the potential of this design to revolutionize not just prosthetics but also the field of robotics.

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Developed by former Samsung engineers, this walking assist wearable robot also lets you tone your legs

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Wear it as a harness: fasten the thigh braces and buckle up the fanny pack-like device around your waist and you can be in command of a mobility wearable robot that can assist you walk with better efficiency or provide resistance to your legs so you can add strength to your lower body.

While existing mobility assist robots are made for seniors with leg discomforts or are intended to help the differently abled to move with more freedom; the WIM mobility assist wearable device created by WIRobotics, is designed for younger consumers to walk better and exercise with the new age technique.

Designer: WIRobotics  

WIRobotics is a company formed by former Samsung Electronics robotics engineers with the intent to help people with limited abilities leverage the freedom of movement that new technologies can permit. With the Wearable Mobility WIM robot, the idea is slightly different. Even though it is a device for those who have issues with their legs and have problems walking longer distances, it would also cater to those who spend hours in the gym trying to strengthen their lower body.

Weighing much lighter than most other assist robots on the market, the WIM robot is also slimmer and more compact, but absolutely effective at providing powerful assistance force to the limb. It also analyses the gait of the user – and corrects it – in real-time. It comes with two different use modes: the assist mode, which does what it means – assist the user walking with more confidence and freedom while saving user energy by up to 20 percent. The exercise mode provides resistance – force comparable to walking in water – to the legs of the user for lower body strength.

Since this harness-style wearable exoskeleton is not a typical medical device, it doesn’t look like one. Provided in vibrant orange, electric blue, and subtle gray color options, the exoskeleton for hiking and exercise is designed like a fashion accessory that the Gen Z or even the millennial population wouldn’t mind wearing in their everyday routine.  The robot has a single-motor in the fanny pack-like belt strapped to the front of the waist, while both the thigh extensions have individual actuators. The ergonomics of the robot are maintained by aluminum joints in a plastic body to provide a non-restrictive design that can provide free and natural movement. The entire structure can be completely disassembled for convenience of storage and transportation.

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80% of Mattel Games will be made Color-Blind Accessible by the end of 2024

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For generations, classic games like Uno have brought people together for friendly competition. But for the estimated 300 million people worldwide with color blindness, these games haven’t always been accessible. Mattel, the iconic toymaker behind these beloved games, is making a significant stride towards inclusivity. They recently announced that by the end of 2024, 80% of their global games portfolio will be colorblind accessible, with that number rising to 90% by the end of 2025.

Designer: Mattel

This update isn’t a radical overhaul. Instead, it involves subtle design tweaks that ensure gameplay isn’t hindered by color vision deficiency. For instance, Uno will now feature symbols alongside the traditional colors and numbers. A square represents blue, a circle red, a diamond yellow, and a triangle green. This way, players can identify cards based on the symbol without relying solely on color. Similarly, Blokus, a strategic board game, will incorporate patterns on its colored game pieces for better differentiation. These changes extend to other popular Mattel games like Dos, Phase 10, Skip-Bo, and Ker Plunk.

Partnering with ColorADD, a group specializing in colorblind-friendly design solutions, Mattel demonstrates a commitment to thoughtful implementation. This isn’t just about adding symbols; it’s about collaborating with experts to ensure the updates are effective for players with color blindness. The new features go beyond the games themselves. Updated instruction sheets will include dedicated sections for colorblind players, and the packaging will sport a special badge featuring a multicolored eye icon for easy identification.

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Augmented limb experiment makes it easier to move around in zero gravity

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I forgot what sci-fi TV show I was watching but in one of the scenes, a reptile-like creature attached itself to a human host, creating a human-reptile hybrid that could slither around quickly. It was an interesting part of the story but one that could also be the stuff of nightmares for those who have a fear of having extra limbs. But for speculative designers, this can actually become something that may be useful in the future.

Designer: Chandler Cheng

The Augmented Limb project thinks of giving astronauts an extra lim to help them out when moving in zero gravity. The design is inspired by how animals like monkeys move in 3-dimensional space using their tails as extra limbs, as well as the motion of reptiles like snakes, and even dinosaur tails when it comes to structural integrity and rigidity.

What Cheng came up with is a tail-like limb that can be attached through a backpack-like contraption. This will allow astronauts, and maybe later on other space visitors, move better in zero gravity as the extra limb can wrap around your surroundings. It can also secure your position so the stress and pressure will not be all on your hands and feet.

Of course this limb system is still speculative but the prototypes he created shows the limb is able to wrap itself around branches so in theory it might work. It’s still better than creating actual human-reptile hybrids right?

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How Whac-A-Mole helped inspire the creation of a Braille-learning Device

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Shenzhen Califor Design Co., Ltd., a Chinese design firm has demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity and innovation with the introduction of a groundbreaking learning device for the blind community. This inventive product merges education with entertainment, offering a unique way to learn Braille through an engaging ‘Whac-A-Mole’ style game. Recognizing the lack of attention often given to the visually impaired, especially in today’s fast-paced information age, Shenzhen Califor has created a device that brings both enjoyment and the benefits of technology to this community.

Designer: Shenzhen Califor Design Co., Ltd

The new Braille learning device is ingeniously designed based on the six-dot arrangement rule of Braille, capable of simulating the configuration of all Braille characters. The device operates by pressing a large button at the bottom, which randomly selects letters. The six buttons on the keyboard then illuminate the corresponding Braille letters. Users complete the learning process by pressing the highlighted buttons in sequence, making Braille learning an intuitive and interactive experience.

A standout feature of this device is the use of buttons with a distinct texture on the top, enabling blind users to easily identify them by touch. Additionally, the button below features confirmation words, enhancing the practicality and user-friendliness of the device. The design incorporates larger, fingertip-sized dots, as opposed to the smaller dots found in standard Braille. This adjustment makes it easier for beginners to understand and retain the Braille alphabet, facilitating a smoother learning curve.

The device’s elongated shape, reminiscent of a handheld remote control, is both sleek and functional. Unlike a typical square design with popping dots, this device features dots on one side and a rounded edge on the other, allowing users to position it correctly with ease. Its long, flat design not only distributes weight evenly but also makes it comfortable for prolonged use. The compact and thin construction further adds to its convenience, making it ideal for extended learning sessions.

Despite its remote control-like appearance to sighted individuals, the device’s design includes a flat base, enabling blind users to place it on a table or floor for efficient use. This thoughtful design ensures that users can engage with the device comfortably and effectively.

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Smart cane automatically adjusts to your walking terrain

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According to the World Health Organization, falls, specifically for senior citizens, is a major public health problem. There are a lot who use canes and other walking aids but there are also some who prefer not to use any since they’re inconvenient at times or because of their pride. But we’re also seeing some aids that have become smarter and can adjust to the needs of those that need these tools to move around.

Designer: Claire Ko

Halo is one such tool that may appeal to those who are still hesitant to use canes because of their limitations. This one is a smart cane where you can adjust your smartphone so it can adjust its height automatically. It can adjust the height of the cane depending on the terrain that you’re walking on. This includes walking up and down the stairs, which is one of the most difficult daily tasks that senior citizens and other people with walking difficulties experience.

The Halo Smart Cane provides control to those using it as you are not limited to just the standard height of most canes. It also provides stability to the user as it will not let you slop or stumble even when it changes its height based on what the smartphone and the app detects. Once you attach your phone, there is a button on the cane that switches to automatic mode.

The height-adjustment mechanism included in the cane is still patent-pending but on paper, it is a pretty useful tool for those who need better assistance while walking. There isn’t a lot of detailed information yet on the materials used and the mechanism involved probably because of the ongoing patent application.

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Beautiful walking cane transforms into a compact wooden stool in a snap

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No one can escape the passage of time or how the body grows old and frail. We can really only delay the inevitable with a healthy lifestyle, but there will always come a time when we’ll need someone or something to lean on while walking or need to sit down more regularly even if there’s not a chair in sight. Walking aids and stools are common sights in everyday life, and products that combine these two are also no longer alien to our eyes. Unfortunately, most of them, while functional, are also unattractive and sometimes even difficult to use. They’re often a cause of embarrassment for users who’d rather leave these at home and endure discomfort rather than be seen using them. Fortunately, all hope is not lost and this rather unique “sitting cane” shows how a well-designed tool can be functional, beautiful, and uplifting all at the same time.

Designer: Anker Bak

Made from a single piece of solid ash wood split in the middle and held together with six brass bolts, the SNILD, the Danish word for handy or dextrous, shatters expectations of what a walking aid should look like. Rather than a traditional stick or a rod that ends with legs at the bottom, it looks more like a tapered paper clip viewed from the front. The curved top and bottom edges along with the sloping sides give the tool a more elegant and stylish appearance, while also providing bigger surface areas for holding or standing on the floor. The loop at the top also lets you hoist the sitting cane over your shoulder if you need to make use of both hands.

Unlike walking aids that also function as stools, transforming the SNILD is as easy as pulling the top halves apart. This reveals a leather seat that is both durable and comfortable, and it uses simple physics to hold the person up. The rubber feet of the legs provide the necessary grip to prevent the stool or the cane from sliding.

More than its functionality, it’s the design and aesthetic that puts the SNILD above the rest. It has a dignified appearance that goes beyond a simple walking aid or seat, and that sense of dignity is transferred to the user who no longer feels the shame of carrying one. It is a part of the designer’s vision of Everyday Assistive Furniture (EAF) design furniture that’s not only a tool but can even be a source of pride and an heirloom for future generations.

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This handheld console for disabled gamers has modular control pods for better ergonomics

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Gaming controllers are primarily designed keeping in mind the needs of seasoned gamers who have razor-sharp reflexes and blazing reaction times. Most of the mainstream controllers don’t factor in the needs of disabled gamers who have accessibility issues. Major manufacturers like Sony and 8BitDo, however, have ventured down this road with the PlayStation 5 Access Controller and Lite SE controller respectively.

Along the same lines, this Windows-based gaming controller concept dubbed Free Play wants to give disabled gamers a level playing field when it comes to playing chart-topping games. The gadget achieves this without compromising on the form factor a normal gamepad relies on. Therefore, normal gamers can also use it without any problem.

Designer: Aiden Schutte

The intended dual functionality of the gaming controller is achieved with modular control pods that can be placed around the console. With the rise in popularity of handheld gaming consoles, attention towards accessible controllers for the disabled is imminent. The design proposed here employs the modular buttons that settle inside the metal body and the ergonomic grips having flat surfaces as the viable solution. So, one can easily swap the D-Pad buttons to reside on the front rather than the sides. Customized sticks can be attached to the controller if the disabled gamer has problems holding on to the joystick with the thumb.

To keep it simple, the modular gaming controller has multiple configurations to play depending on the comfort level of the disabled person. Whether it’s using the controller with just one hand or situations where dexterity is not an option. Aiden has designed the bottom to be flat so that people with dexterity issues can easily lift the gadget from the surface. In addition to the buttons you would find on any normal controller, this one has tactile touchpoints to navigate controls. These tactile touchpoints can be placed at the back of the console or on the front. The size of all the buttons and triggers has been intentionally kept large for easier presses and navigation.

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Man with amputated fingers since childhood gets life changing 3D-printed Bionic fingers

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What technology is good if it is of no use to living souls? Meet Mo Ali, a 40-year-old from Brighton, West Sussex, who has just received the world’s first 3D-printed bionic fingers after toiling all his life with low confidence and major handicap in doing most tasks we would take for granted. He loved cycling right from his childhood when he unfortunately met with an accident in the kitchen, chopping off his fingers in a meat grinder. Not surprisingly, he was bullied by other kids due to this unfortunate disability.

He was always two steps behind others when it came to enjoying bicycle rides as he had to make unfruitful quick fixes like wearing a bike glove stuffed with tissues to have a better grip on the handlebar. Even worse, when he finally got a prosthetic hook operated by the force of the shoulder, prescribed by NHS as a glimmer of hope, things didn’t turn out as planned. The thing was heavy and uncomfortable, making it even more difficult to do the simplest of tasks. After only a day of use, he had to stop using it.

Designer: Open Bionics

It was a compromised life after that as Ali coped with the disability by simply hiding it. Now Bristol-based Open Bionics has employed their advanced 3D printing and scanning technology to develop a prosthetic hand with independently moving fingers, which they call the Hero Gauntlet. According to Ali now he’s able to walk down the road without feeling the need to hide.’ Gaining more confidence in the prosthetic, he now says, “With the Hero Gauntlet, once I have a grip on something I know it’s not going anywhere.”

Mo has experimented with countless options in the last 15 years but with no success or even the slightest hope for his situation. Now with the innovative partial hand prosthetic custom-made for him, life is far better. The team at Open Bionics made use of 3D scanning, printing and modeling technology to craft this partial artificial hand with fingers. According to the developers, the prosthetic will be available for people with limb differences soon. The firm even claims that this gauntlet can help revive the hand functionality of ones born without fingers.

According to co-founder, Samantha Payne, “It’s pure joy to see this piece of engineering have a positive physical and emotional impact on Mo’s life.” For us, it’s heartening to see a life-changing transition that technology has made possible. The world needs more of this!

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Electronic 3D book concept helps visually impaired kids feel the magic of fairy tales

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Reading is already a difficult task for people with visual impairments, but it’s especially challenging when it comes to material that involves a lot of visual elements. Adults might have not much of a problem visualizing those words in their minds, but children who are still developing their mental libraries will probably have a harder time. Fairy tales and fictional books with fantasy elements are examples of these highly visual materials, and simply hearing the narration or feeling the words through Braille feels rather insufficient to capture the emotions and magic of the stories. This electronic book concept tries to offer an equally magical experience that makes the objects and scenes pop out from the book, almost literally.

Designers: Subin Kim, Yujeong Shin, Seungyeon Lee

It’s pretty amazing how blind and visually impaired people can read a book while sliding their hands across seemingly random dots, almost like magic. But the text on a page doesn’t exactly show the images associated with the words, relying on your imagination to conjure up those associations mentally. Of course, that comes almost like second nature for those with normal eyesight, but the visually impaired, especially younger ones, need a bigger boost to help match words with shapes and objects.

bbook is a concept for an electronic 3D book that provides all the necessary tools for a child with visual impairments to not only make sense of but also enjoy such fantastical books. It has an audio component that reads the book out loud, with large tactile buttons that let the reader skip forward or backward as desired. There’s also a dynamic Braille “page” where dots rise and sink as the words change.

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The most interesting part of the book, however, is the fabric-like material on the opposite page. This soft material would also rise to create bumps but not as words in Braille but as actual three-dimensional objects related to the story being told. It could be Snow White’s apple, Cinderella’s glass slipper, or the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. In addition to the educational value of this feature, it also helps make the story feel even more magical.

Every part of the 3D book was designed so that a visually impaired individual could use it without assistance. Even the charging indicators are elevating dots rather than LEDs so they can feel how much more time it needs. bbook also has a rather interesting feature where each individual story is inserted into the device like a USB stick, making each tale a memorable and magical experience.

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