1,087 research outputs found
A participatory design approach to developing upper limb prostheses for children and young people
No full textUpper limb difference can have both a physical and psychological effect on a child, impacting on functional abilities and activity participation. Fortunately upper limb loss amongst children is a rare condition. This, however, has resulted in a ‘postcode lottery’ in the provision of services and a lack of clinical guidance. Research that has been conducted into children’s satisfaction with devices is scarce and has relied on parent proxy reports and quantitative measures. The views of children and young people have, therefore, not been satisfactorily explained. The views of parents and professionals are also vital to the improvement of services and devices, but are not well represented in previous research.In order to ‘give voice’ to the users of paediatric upper limb prostheses and involve them in the development of new devices, a participatory design approach (the BRIDGE methodology), using focus groups and interviews, was taken.The data was subjected to a number of thematic analyses, revealing the following: • Children have an ambivalent relationship with prostheses and are dissatisfied with the devices available to them;• Adjusting to having a child with limb loss is a difficult and complex process for parents and prostheses have a part to play in this process;• Decisions regarding the prescription of prostheses are influenced by factors related to the client (child and parents), the devices available, and the institution/profession within which the prescriber works.The findings supported previous assertions that prostheses for children need to be lighter, more comfortable, more useful and more attractive. Additionally, they should be safe, quick and easy to use, and natural (in both appearance and movement).The findings have implications for clinical practice, device development and research with children. Approaches to assessment and treatment should move away from a medicalised view of using a prosthesis to ‘treat’ a ‘deficiency’ and should focus on the needs of the family unit. Device development needs to focus on task-specificity, modularity, comfort and weight. Finally, this study has demonstrated that children and young people can and should be involved as equal partners in the development of daily living equipment
Parental Perspective:The Role of Prostheses and Prosthetics Services in Adjusting to a Child’s Upper Limb Difference
Full text linkBACKGROUND: The impact of paediatric upper limb difference may extend beyond the child themselves to their parents and other family members. Previous research has found that feelings of shock, numbness and loss are common amongst parents and that peer support can be a buffer against stress. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to explore the experiences of parents of children with limb difference, and the role of services and prosthetic devices in these experiences. METHODS: Nine parents of children with limb difference participated in either a group (n= 2) or individual (n= 7) interview. RESULTS: Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed four themes – ‘grief and guilt’, ‘prosthesis as a tool for parental adjustment’, ‘support’ and ‘fun and humour’. CONCLUSIONS: Parents may employ coping strategies to help them adjust to their child’s limb difference, including use of a prosthesis, accessing support from statutory services and peers, and use of fun and humour within the family
Children’s and adolescents’ views on upper limb prostheses in relation to their daily occupations
No full textIntroductionProsthetic treatment is widely used for children and adolescents with upper limb difference, for functional benefit, cosmetic restoration or the performance of specific activities. Children and adolescents feel, however, that prostheses do not help function, are uncomfortable, are unreliable, are heavy and are not aesthetically acceptable. This research aims to develop an understanding of children’s and adolescents’ views on upper limb prostheses in relation to their daily occupations.MethodEight children and adolescents with upper limb difference participated in a focus group (n=4) or an individual interview (n=4). Data was analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsParticipants described both positive and negative views of their prostheses. Participants described experiences where their prosthesis was helpful to them for social interactions, when playing and in self-care and productive activities. However, participants also described choosing not to use prostheses due to lack of functional benefit, causing a hindrance in certain activities and restriction of movement.ConclusionProstheses can be useful tools for occupational participation for children and adolescents. General purpose functional prostheses for children and adolescents can result in the prosthesis not being useful, becoming a hindrance and restricting movement. Task specific devices can overcome these issues to help children and adolescents in social interactions, when playing and in carrying out self-care and productive activities
Exploring the views of children, parents and clinicians to inform the design of future prosthetic devices
No full textParticipatory design of pediatric upper limb prostheses: qualitative methods and prototyping
Full text linkObjectives: The study aims to develop an understanding of the views of children and adolescents, parents, and professionals on upper limb prosthetic devices to develop and improve device design. Previous research has found that children are dissatisfied with prostheses but has relied heavily on parent proxy reports and quantitative measures (such as questionnaires) to explore their views.Methods: Thirty-four participants (eight children aged 8–15 years with upper limb difference, nine parents, eight prosthetists, and nine occupational therapists) contributed to the development of new devices through the BRIDGE methodology of participatory design, using focus groups and interviews.Results: The study identified areas for improving prostheses from the perspective of children and adolescents, developed prototypes based on these and gained feedback on the prototypes from the children and other stakeholders (parents and professionals) of paediatric upper limb prostheses. Future device development needs to focus on ease of use, versatility, appearance, and safety.Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that children and adolescents can and should be involved as equal partners in the development of daily living equipment and that rapid prototyping (three-dimensional printing or additive manufacturing), used within a participatory design framework, can be a useful tool for facilitating this
Designing for TARA: The radar control unit
No full textThis thesis describes the work done on a control system for the Transportable Atmospheric RAdar (TARA), which is located at the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmosperic Research (CESAR). It describes the way in which this radar control unit was implemented within the TARA, by making use of a high-level programming language. The control unit consists of a PXI-system of National Instruments, LabVIEW software, a DDS from Analog Devices and provided Matlab code. The project resulted in a working prototype. The TARA itself is a FM-CW radar with the possibility of sending and receiving in multiple polarizations and orientations for weather measurements. The system was tested and most functions worked properly. During the test, the measurements with the new system generated the same data as the current system. This proved that the system is working correctly, which is of great importance for the ATMOS group, because they are planning to transport the TARA to a measurement campaign in France in 2012 using the upgraded system.Remote Sensing of the EnvironmentElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
The design of a myoelectrically controlled hand with multiple actuators for five-year old children
Full text linkMyoelectric prosthetics are complex functional devices that can improve significantly a person’s quality of life. This paper describes the development of a myoelectrically controlled prosthetic hand for a five-year old child. A key consideration in the design of upper-body prostheses is to use information from studies highlighting the main causes of rejection. These studies emphasize that in order to reduce rejection, it is necessary to include the opinions of the users in the design process. Additional constraints are introduced due to the small size and mass of a five-year old child’s hand compared to that of an adult. The main points of the final design are detailed, including the areas where these constraints were overcome. Modularity was used throughout the design; it allows the hand to be configured for the individual user, and also helps to reduce the potential cost of the hand. The final design has three actuators controlled individually through the use of a master-slave microchip combination. This design has a final mass of 105.8g and produces a pinching force of 4.35 N
Engagement, Learning, Outreach, and Fun in 60 Seconds: Button Making at the Rutgers University Libraries
No full textButton making is a low-cost, high-impact, pop-up makerspace activity that libraries can use to facilitate outreach, connect patrons with collections, teach about copyright, and promote creativity and fun, all in just 60 seconds.
In the fall of 2016, the Rutgers University Libraries- New Brunswick Learning and Engagement team spent $518 to purchase a button maker and supplies to make 1,000 buttons. Since then, the libraries have collaborated on button projects with many departments on campus including the Rutgers Art History Student Association, the Zimmerli Art Museum, and the School of Arts & Sciences Honors program. These partnerships have helped the libraries build strong ties with the Rutgers New Brunswick communities and attracted a devoted group of button makers who regularly come to library events.
Making a button provides quick moment of engagement between a patron and a library staff member, but it is from these kinds of meaningful brief encounters that libraries can learn about their patrons’ lives and needs. These encounters can also be a source for the powerful stories, images, and statistics that help libraries demonstrate their impact and value to their communities.thanks for your help, please let me know any questions. I think we can put this version in SOAR? Best, MC
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