Nowadays the problem of paraplegic patients transitioning has become of great importance. Regardless of their physical abilities, all people have the same rights. The list of activities in which paraplegic patients take part is enlarging now. Consequently, the demand for new mechanical devices is expected to be increasing. The most challenging issue is the inability to stand and walk (Farris et al. 482).
Therefore, technologies are concentrated on sitting, standing, and walking movements that are fundamental for any type of activity (Quintero, Farris, and Goldfarb 16). However, it is necessary to improve them and enable customers to perform more complex activities, for instance, to use a Jacuzzi.
In this context, one of the most significant requirements imposed on such devices is the opportunity to use them independently because family and care-givers do not always have the chance to assist. Apart from that, security and reliability are equally urgent because a person should be protected from any trauma and the absence of timely treatment (Drugs.com par. 11). Thus, the importance of work in this sphere is beyond doubt. As a result, transfer devices companies’ attention should be drawn to the capability to perform routine actions individually.
Under these circumstances, the project introduces the portable board with special stoppers. The purpose of the device is to help paraplegic patients move from their wheelchair to the Jacuzzi and vice versa without any assistance from other people. First and foremost, the construction will be easy to use. The opportunity to use it will presumably boost their confidence in their strength and help practically.
The most important benefit is that the construction will provide safety: owing to the fact that rubber stoppers will protect the device from sliding, the risks of injury are lower. It will also be possible to screw the board to the wall. A person who should use their hands to move will be aware that they will not slide. Another advantage of the promoted device will be connected with its transportability: the board will be light, quite compact, and easy to carry.
The background research proves the potential effectiveness of the promoted device. Sometimes, it is difficult for patients to understand how to use a certain construction in the process of transferring. Because of these problems, mishaps are one of the major causes of injuries (Akyol et al. 1). In comparison, the portable board for the Jacuzzi will bring positive results since patients educated by health care professionals once will soon develop the necessary skills.
It is expected that the training will take several days on condition that a person has some experience of using similar devices for different purposes (for example, moving from one’s wheelchair to bed). Good upper body and arm strength will significantly increase the speed of learning (McNitt-Gray et al. 133). In terms of housing, the need for greater adaptability, flexibility, and accessibility becomes one of the most crucial issues because it is the essential environment for a person in which they spend most of their time (West 21). The proposed project directly addresses the house setting and gives a solution.
Paraplegic patients with satisfactory upper body and arm strength are the desired client base. Besides, health specialists who will be installing, training, and operating the device also constitute the target audience for the report. Since these categories deal with paraplegic issues on a daily basis, they are potentially interested in the device that should help patients perform various actions.
Works Cited
Akyol, Erman, et al. “A Study on Understanding of Wheelchair Transferring Action.” Bulletin of Japanese Society for the Science of Design 61.1 (2014): 1-6. Print.
Drugs.com. Wheel Chair Transfers. n.d. Web.
Farris, Ryan J., et al. “A Preliminary Assessment of Legged Mobility Provided by a Lower Limb Exoskeleton for Persons with Paraplegia.” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering 22.3 (2014): 482-490. Print.
McNitt-Gray, J., et al. “Factors Contributing to The Mechanical Demand Imposed on the Upper Extremity During Manual Wheelchair Propulsion.” The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 18.1 (2014): 130-138. Print.
Quintero, Hugo A., Ryan J. Farris, and Michael Goldfarb. “A Method for the Autonomous Control of Lower Limb Exoskeletons for Persons with Paraplegia.” The Journal of Medical Devices 6.4 (2012): 16-21. Print.
West, Simone. “Accessible Housing and the New National Technical Standards.” The Journal of Building Survey, Appraisal & Valuation 5.1 (2016): 21-29. Print.