Young Designers 2011

		Young Designers 2011
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Amrapali Satpudke | amrapalisatpudke@gmail.com

Redefining Mobility: Appropriate wheelchair for Physically Challenged Children

Product Design | PGDPD
Guide: Shashank Mehta
Sponsor: T. I. Cycles of India, Chennai

Keywords
Mobility
physically challenged
wheelchair
lower limb disabilities

The project’s objective was to design an appropriate wheelchair for children with lower-limb disabilities. The wheelchair had to meet the user’s needs and environmental conditions, provide proper postural support and be safe, durable, available, affordable and easy to maintain.

In order to understand the world of the disabled, a study of diverse groups of users was carried out in various parts of the country. In India, most wheelchairs are manufactured and distributed by local or international NGOs. If a child needs a wheelchair, little attention is paid to the fact that he or she is growing. Usually, a larger chair is ordered for the child to “grow into” it. Such problems were identified by studying the users in their environment, meeting their parents, physicians, therapist, caretakers and studying the processes of manufacturing and distribution of the wheelchairs.

User and market surveys were carried out, along with comparative product analysis and component study, to understand the product. Initial design ideas were debated on and developed and a scaled mock-up of the final concept was made. Each component was detailed after validating the concept and the final prototype was made for further evaluation and user-testing.

Through this project, I learnt how to go through the design process and the importance of empathizing with the users and their issues. I got the opportunity to closely understand the way things work in an industry and the constraints they have to deal with. It was a challenging and fulfilling experience.