Slip on below-the-knee prosthetic for quick home use
Walker
340K
amputees in the US
$12Billion
paid annually in health insurance for amputees in US
185,000
new below-the-knee amputees every year in US
Parker
Parker is a below-the-knee amputee who lost his leg at the age of three. He has grown used to his condition but still has complications putting on his prosthetic.
Understanding Parker
Working in a team(Grayson, Josh and Bethany) to deeply understand Parker's daily life and the emotions that come from his experiences unique to his condition.
To find out more about all the details about prosthetics, I reached out to Breakey Prosthetics. July Lajoie showed me that putting on prosthetics takes two to ten minutes. This is time wasted out of every morning. Amputees must also see their prosthesis regularly to adjust the sockets as their residual limb changes size and shape. Wheelchairs take too much space and crutches can be cumbersome to use.
How might we put on a prosthetic leg faster?
Ideation
Thinking of different ways a prosthetic leg can take form based on Parker's interests and daily experiences related to his leg.
Inspiration
Ease of use and coziness is the goal and what's easier than a slip on? I decided to take the trade off of not being completely secure for comfort and ease of use.
Tight Details
Focusing on finer details such as proportion, material, and strap. Deciding to make a plush, bouncy, and quick slip and strap prosthetic. Made to wear at home.
Too stumpy
Too narrow
Too close to a pegleg
Vacuum forming a core to ensure a secure fit onto the user's residual limb
Using pre-existing prosthetic socks as a liner for comfort and easy cleaning
large strap to quickly put on