Case Study
An initiative to empower students of government school in Rajasthan
Our team has initiated a project to empower students of a government school in Rajasthan by collaborating with other organizations to benefit the underserved children in the area. The primary goal of this project is to ensure sustainable development in the region, specifically in the areas of clean water, sanitation, nutrition, and energy.
To better understand the challenges faced by the students and the community, we prepared different questionnaires and engaged with all stakeholders involved. Through this process, we learned that electricity was a significant issue both at the school and in most of the children's homes, with many students having to do their homework after completing their household chores in the evening with only one lamp.
As part of our ideation and brainstorming, we came up with the idea of installing solar panels to help the students and their families generate their own energy. We wanted to take this a step further by teaching the students how to assemble their own solar lamps so that they could develop a useful skill that they could use to benefit their community in the future.
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To implement this idea, we collaborated with an external organization called Durga Energy, which provided the necessary training and materials for free. On the day of the workshop, Rukmini Devi, the CEO of Durga Energy, came to the school to teach the students how to assemble their own solar lamps. The children were surprised and inspired to see someone from their own community leading the training session.
Overall, we believe that this project has the potential to benefit not only the students but also the wider community by promoting sustainable development practices and developing valuable skills that can be used to solve local challenges.
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Design for Impact with Durga Energy showcases the power of collaboration to bring sustainable solutions to underserved communities. By engaging with all stakeholders, the school was able to understand the challenges and identify areas where they could make a difference. The school's efforts have not only improved the lives of the students but also empowered the community to work towards a better future.
Case Study
Design and Development Motorized Adjustable Bed
Introduction
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Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of adjustable beds, particularly among older adults and those with disabilities or other health issues that affect their sleep quality. An adjustable bed is a type of bed that allows the user to adjust the position of the head and foot of the bed to their desired level of comfort. This feature makes it easier for people to find a comfortable sleeping position and can also provide relief from a range of health problems, including acid reflux, snoring, and back pain.
In this design, we will focus on creating an adjustable bed that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and can blend well with the user's bedroom decor.
Based on ergonomic data, the design would be developed.
The bed will be designed with a range of features to enhance the user's comfort and ensure a peaceful night's sleep. The adjustable bed will be ideal for individuals who require specific sleeping positions due to health reasons or those who simply desire a comfortable sleeping experience.
Secondary research
In a recent study, we found
2.21% of the Indian population has one or the other kind of disability. This means 2.68 crores (26.8 million) people in India are disabled.
Sleeping on an adjustable bed is taking pressure off the spine. It can also improve blood circulation, benefiting the whole circulatory system while asleep, including the back.
The occurrence of low back pain in India is also alarming with nearly 60% of the people in India having suffered from low back pain at some time during their lifespan. Low back pain also restricts mobility, interferes with normal functioning and results in lifelong pain and permanent disability.
India’s elderly population (aged 60 and above) is projected to touch 194 million in 2031 from 138 million in 2021, a 41 per cent increase over a decade, according to the National Statistical Office (NSO)’s Elderly in India 2021Report
The market size, measured by revenue, of the Adjustable Bed & Mattress Manufacturing industry, is $1.9bn in 2022. Market growth
The study explored the prevalence of functional limitation among the geriatric population and found speech disability (4%), hearing disability (10%), visual disability (56%), and agility (locomotion, walking, climbing stairs, body movement and dexterity; 33%), respectively. (jmedsoc)
Primary Research
Conducting primary research for disabled persons is essential when designing products because it enables designers to understand the unique needs and challenges that disabled persons face. By conducting primary research, we gather information on the specific needs of the user.
This research involves direct interaction with disabled persons, including interviews, surveys, and focus groups, as well as observation and analysis of their daily activities and routines. Through this research, designers can gain insights into the ways in which disabled persons interact with products, their level of satisfaction with existing products, and areas where improvements are needed.
People with disabilities and elders are our targeted audience
but it could also appeal to anyone looking to improve their sleeping posture, reduce snoring, or enhance their overall sleeping experience.
User and needs
Sanjay Deshpande is a 54-year-old government employee working in the irrigation department., he has been living with polio, which has resulted in limited mobility in both his upper and lower limbs.
He would be a user for primary research, especially if the focus of the research is on designing products that are accessible and usable for people with physical disabilities.
Given Sanjay's experience with polio and limited mobility in both his upper and lower limbs, he could provide valuable insights and feedback on various design elements such as ease of use, ergonomics, accessibility, and functionality.
We use the AEIOU framework. it is a tool used in design research to identify and analyse the needs and requirements of users. AEIOU is an acronym for five categories that represent the aspects of a user's experience: Activities, Environment, Interactions, Objects, and Users. These categories help designers understand the context of use, and provide a structure for gathering information about the user experience.
Activities: Refers to the tasks, actions, or behaviours that users engage in while interacting with a product or service.
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Environment: Refers to the physical, social, and cultural context in which the user interacts with the product or service.
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Interactions: Refers to the ways in which users interact with the product or service, including their communication and feedback.
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Objects: Refers to the physical objects or artefacts that users interact with while using the product or service.
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Users: Refers to the characteristics of the users themselves, including their demographics, behaviours, and attitudes.
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By examining each of these categories, we can gain a better understanding of the user's experience and use this information to inform the design of products and services that better meet their needs.
In the observation, we found user needs external help to get up to the bed he call his son
As his son (Gaurav) pushed his leg down, he pulled his hand as well to get up from the bed Then he gave him a crutch.
The user cant get up from the bed without someone's support, for Ex. if he wants to go washroom at midnight he needs to call someone who can provide support
To get up from bed
His requirement was simple: he wanted to get up on his own without assistance at any time
Identified Problems
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The user has to depend on someone for getting out into the bed
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The user gets into trouble when no one is available at home
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If he wants to go to the washroom at night, he has to call someone
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for Lying down on the bed, usually, he uses his body weight and pushes himself backside forcefully
Design Brief
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The Adjustable Motorized Bed Frame is a design solution that aims to provide maximum comfort and convenience to the user. The frame is designed to attach to any bed and convert it into an adjustable motorized bed, he can change it to various positions for sleeping, relaxing, and reading.
The frame is made of high-quality steel that ensures durability and stability. The adjustable head can be easily controlled with a remote, allowing users to adjust the bed's angle according to their preference. The motorized function is designed to operate smoothly and quietly, ensuring a peaceful sleeping environment.
. Additionally, the adjustable motorized bed frame is designed to fit seamlessly into any interior design, with its sleek and modern appearance.
Overall, the Adjustable Motorized Bed Frame is a versatile and innovative solution that transforms any bed into a comfortable sleeping space. The design ensures maximum comfort and convenience, making it an ideal choice for those seeking an affordable and easy-to-use motorized bed option
Ideation
During ideation, exploring ideas based on user research
enabled us to gain valuable insight into the user's needs and preferences,
As part of our product ideation process, we focus on features, accessories and comfort
Prototype
Prior to creating the prototype, we discussed our product concept with the user at his place. The user has been using a manually operated medical bed which needed to be operated by a family member, although the help of a family member wasn't limited to manually operating the lifting paddle there was a need to keep the user stable while tilting his body to seat on the edge of the bed, without losing his body balance and falling apart on the backside.
Our user is a retired man who takes lectures for HSC students through both online & offline modes from his home while seating on the bed. The activities performed by the user in bed aren't limited to sleeping & resting but are also accompanied by dining, teaching, reading the daily newspaper watching TV & enjoying with his parrot.
Observing & considering all of his activities, body movements & disability to balance his body, we updated our problem statement and product concept by adding a side manually operated side lift which can be further upgraded to an automatic lift by placing an actuator. This upgrade will support the user while rotating his body towards the edge of the bed & also use it as a backrest while tutoring students sitting on the bed without stressing out their spinal cord for a prolonged period.
To understand the workings of the linear actuator and adjustable bed mechanism A hand-operated adjustable bed was converted into a motorized adjustable bed. We detach an exciting hand-pulled system and add a linear actuator
Support was added in the backside of the movable part and link with the actuator.
Positioning & mounting the Actuator at the right position to lift the headrest to an angle of 80° was the difficult part which needed the calculation as per the stroke length of our actuator (250mm) with a force of 6000N which if opposed will lead to breakdown or damage to the product. Henceforth the measurement of links used to connect the headrest to the piston rod of the actuator needs to be perfectly done and aligned concentrically to fasten the joints. So after a few trials & errors, we implemented the Pythagoras triplet (Pythagorean triples are any three positive integers that completely satisfy the Pythagorean theorem. The theorem states that in any right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two legs of the right triangle.) to find the exact arm(link) length required and mounted the components accordingly. Once we get the position we drafted measurements. Add the sketches and pictures of the actuator arm and linkages.
Powder coating the product plays a vital role in two ways. It protects the metal surface from surrounding molecules present in the air & water resisting it from corrosion. The variety of colour shades available in powder gives a beautiful appealing look & finish to the overall product making it more acceptable to customers.
This is where CMF (Color, Material, Finish)plays a crucial role in leading to acceptance & connection with the customer to the product.
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Mattress design and material selection
Mattress selection was based on the following exploration during the market survey mentioned below.
Foam is classified on basis of density which affects comfort as follows:
Hard
Medium
Semi-soft
Supper-soft
Fabric is classified based on the fibre material:
Cotton
Cotton-Polyester (Polycotton)
Rexine
Quilled fibre
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Polyurethane foam with Polycotton fabric was used to make the mattress Design team found it suitable for our movable concept as well as for user comfort
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The complete bed frame(Product) was mounted on the existing bed frame by aligning both frames & fastening it with nuts & bolts, to hold it steady. As the seating height of the overall bed had been increased now by 3inch, hence to a standard seating height the legs of the bed had been trimmed to achieve a standard height of 17” inches according to an anthropometric study of the human body
Anthropometric study conducted considering our user where based on his body structure and weight distribution of different parts. The user has more upper body weight & momentum as compared to the lower body. Accordingly, the bed is distributed as 35% for upper body support(Headrest) & 65% for the lower body. The side rest is distributed as 30%(fixed), and 20%(movable).
As the standard human body of an adult in India is considered as follows:
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Height 5’6”- 6’
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Width 25”-30”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the design and development of an adjustable bed frame that can convert an existing bed into a motorized adjustable bed is a significant achievement in the field of furniture design and home health. This product offers users the convenience and comfort of being able to adjust their sleeping position according to their preferences and needs.
The design of the adjustable bed frame has been carefully crafted to ensure that it is sturdy and durable, with a range of customizable settings that allow users to adjust the bed frame to their specific needs. The motorized function allows for seamless adjustments with minimal effort, making it an ideal solution for people with mobility issues or those who require frequent position changes.
The development process of this adjustable bed frame has involved extensive research, prototyping, and testing to ensure that it meets the highest standards of quality and safety. The product has been designed to be easy to install and use, with intuitive controls that make it accessible to users of all ages and abilities.
Overall, the design and development of this adjustable bed frame is a significant advancement in the field of home health and furniture design. It offers users a comfortable and convenient way to customize their sleeping position and has the potential to improve the quality of life for many people.
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