how do we design an umbrella holder
for someone recovering from spinal cord injury?
At the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, hundreds of people recover from injury, illness, etc. Through this project, we met spinal cord injury patients who now use wheelchairs to get around. Each person we spoke with addressed the need for normalcy and freedom from assistance. The worst days, were rainy days, when it became ever more apparent that they didn't feel free. They had a very simple request: a wheelchair umbrella that they could use independently without looking ridiculous.
unwanted attention
From the start, it was abundantly clear that our users were new wheelchair users. And they were already tired of attracting attention on their day-to-day routine. This made rainy days all the worse. Not only do current products fail to keep Brian, one of the interviewees dry, but they make him feel like a neon sign in a crowd. Some of these options include large awnings that need to remain attached to the chair or simply giant ponchos, which can't even protect the chair itself. Brian is left sitting in a wet seat by the time he gets to his destination.
no two are the sameJust like the users themselves, each wheel chair is different. There are dozens of wheelchair standards that line one of the storage rooms in RIC, but none of them follow the same dimensions or even structure. The attachment mechanism needed to adapt to as many chair designs as possible. We realized that attaching directly to someone's leg may provide the greatest versatility. It seemed questionable, but Brian and others were excited as long as they could set it up on their own.
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keeping your favorite umbrella
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Spinal cord injury also leads to loss in dexterity and strength. This meant our users couldn't even install available solutions because of clamps and screws that required too much force.
Our design addressed independent set-up using a flexible, yet rigid adjustment mechanism: gooseneck. For the very first prototype, we used the lamp from my dorm room desk. The pliable material easily bent around my leg, and adjusted for all of my teammates. The base was made of sheet metal strips which could deflect to a comfortable shape under the leg. Lastly, using velcro straps, we could attach any umbrella. A way to integrate some normalcy for our users. |
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final design
Goosit allows people to keep using their favorite umbrellas, adding more normalcy to a recovery. The no-screw setup and velcro straps make it simple for someone to use without assistance. And by holding the umbrella close, Goosit keeps people dry without drawing unwanted attention.
Needs addressed:
Needs addressed:
- Attachment method that requires limited dexterity and strength
- Size that fits into a backpack, so users can store behind their chairs
- Non-obtrusive aesthetic
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future stepsAt the end, we gave the product to our client, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. We recommended a future iteration adding a velcro strap around the leg to better secure the device in windy conditions.
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The Team: Jessica, Kristen, Eddie, Amaan
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