Users and Requirements:
Main User
Marc Tinsley: As described in the introduction, our primary user is a man with cerebral palsy who has difficulty moving his body, specifically his right leg and left arm. His range of motion of these body parts are extremely limited, and therefore he faces issues when attempting to climb on to his bed to watch TV. Marc will use our designed device to assist him in pulling his leg on to the bed utilizing force from his right arm.
While not necessarily a user, it is important to mention our clients, Walter Guminiak and Velarie Pech, who will work with Marc in his physical therapy. They may not work directly with our device, but they may potentially be able to offer extra exercises or stretches that may augment Marc’s ability to more effectively use our design. Ideally, this device will help Marc reduce the extra strain required for him to get in a comfortable position on his bed.
Major Requirements
Optimize the Process of Watching TV: Ideally, by using the modified yoga belt, Marc will be able to lift his leg onto the bed much more efficiently and with much less pain/stress. A metric that we will use to measure efficiency is comparing the time it takes for him to get into his preferred position on bed with and without the strap, as well as comparing his level of comfortability.
Prevent Falling off Bed: Instead of devising a method to hold Marc in place on the side of his bed, we are designing a device to assist him in getting into his preferred position. Ideally, he will more often be fully in bed instead of sitting on the side, circumventing the given problem of slipping off the side of the bed.
Must be Sturdy: The device must be the right material, not too elastic nor too slippery. The strap has to provide a strong enough foundation for Marc to support the weight of his leg. It must be secure on his leg to minimize the risk of it slipping off his leg during the pulling motion and subsequent injury.
Easy and Efficient to Use: The loop at the bottom of the strap must be easily accessible for Marc so that it easily slips on and secures to the bottom of his shoe. Multiple sets of handles along the sides of the strap will assist Marc and allow him to grab different points to provide more torque as needed.
Easy to Store: Due to the compact nature of Marc's room, it will be difficult for the device to be anything too large as it may obstruct Marc's daily living space and movement. The fabric of the eLEGvate allows it to be stored and folded to accomodate small spaces.