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​Problem of interest

​How might we help to remind patients to use their canes/walkers and solve functional challenge ?

​Group Partners      Dane Carlsen     Crystina Dang 

Design focuses

Product Design       Critical Design      Design for Health

​WANDERFREE - WHAT IS IT?

WanderFree is a mobility support railing system designed for elderly with mobility issues.

 

WanderFree offers an alternative solution for its vulnerable users by minimizing neglects of use while addressing the risk elevated by urgency, short distance, and memory loss that is not met by standard walkers. This design challenge was done in collaboration with BayCrest Health Center.

​WHY NOT TRADITIONAL CANES & WALKERS?​
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​IT'S NOT JUST FORGETFULNESS...

My group gained permission to interview 2 of BayCrest Health Sciences’s elderly residents, their caregivers as well as an occupational therapist. Through the insights gathered from the interviews and our in-person observations, we found that practice of mobility aids, such as walkers and canes, aren’t embraced by users due to several reasons:​

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  • Fear of losing pride and/or independence

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  • Denial of illness and/or disability

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  • Inconveniencing routine

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  • Forgetfulness

​I can walk by myself !
​RE-FRAMING OUR INITIAL DESIGN PROBLEM

We would like to create a design solution that reduces the risk of falling for those in need of mobility aid and suffering from nocturia in a bedroom setting - with an aim, but not restricted to, early stage dementia patients. We want to tackle 3 major issues that discourages adoption - urgency, short distance, and forgetfulness.

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​Forgetfulness

Influence of sleep disturbance coupled with urgency on decision making and forgetfulness.

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​Short-distance

Low perceived risk

due to short

distance of travel

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​Urgency

Hazards of low

visibility and lack of

monitoring in the night

​Nocturia VS Risks of falls during night time

By the age of 60-70 years, 11-50% of people experience nocturia (the need to wake and pass urine at night). This percentage rises to 80-90% at 80 years and older with nearly 30% of people going at least two times at night.This reoccurring span of time has a high risk of falls due to the issues mentioned above.

​VALUE PROPOSITION
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  • Increased Visibility

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  • Strengthened mobility

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  • Safety

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  • Improved independence

  • Comfort & Familiarity

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  • Convenience

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  • Access to support systems

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  • Enriched pride

​Aiming towards product transferability

We hope that framing our problem within these boundaries of a high risk frequent occurrence and a vulnerable target user will result in a transferable design for all who use mobility aid in any living setting.

​WANDERFREE - WANDER WITHOUT WORRIES
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​The system is built with 2 axis to provide users a wider range of movement

​Rails are to be ceiling mounted

Capable of bearing weight standing and falling.

​Can be moved easily with minimal force

​WANDERFREE
SAFETY AND AGILITY

The results of our research and ideation has brought us to choose the Walker Railing System as our top solution. Our findings concluded that a core problem lies in how assistive technology is perceived and where it lives in a user’s identity.

 

This solution in relation to walker adoption and fall prevention was chosen through the scope of minimizing neglect and risk elevated by urgency,

short distance, and memory loss that is not met by walkers.

Fall safe and brake system with

rubber stopper and velcro trap

Adjustable handrest

Illuminating handle

​How it looks
How it moves 
​How it brakes
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