Assistive Devices for People with

Multiple Sclerosis

MS Ireland Conference • Interviews with PWMS • Interviews with Retailers • User Trials Research of Current

Market

Market Flooded With hand-held

assistive devices

• Focus Group • User Diary • Behaviour Mapping • Empathy Scenario

Problem Identification

Focus on dexterity issues

Meeting with Occupational Therapist

Motorised Wheelchairs

Primary Research Journey of Progression

Johnny

Burke

Identified ProblemsOpportunity for Design

Difficulttomaneouvre•

Causedamagetodoors,wallsetc.•

Cannotcopewithsub-standardaccessibilty• (highkerbs,stepsetc.)

Hardtoclean/avoidbringingdirtindoorson• wheels

Difficult/Impossibletotransportincar•

Uncomfortabletositinforextendedperiods• (conflictingevidence)

• Difficulttogetoutof

Johnny

Burke

AsMultipleSclerosisisaprogressivedebilitatingdisease,unfortunatelyitisinevitablethatmostpeoplewithMSwillultimatelyrequiretheuseofawheelchair.Amotorisedchaircanprovidemuchgreaterindependencethanamanualoneasarmsarealsoaffected.

PeoplewithMultipleSclerosiswhoareatthestageofneedingawheelchairsharethefollowingcharacteristicsthatareofrelevancetotheirwheel-chairuse:

ImpairedDexterity•

ImpairedVision•

Dizziness•

Frustration•

PerfectMentalHealth•

User StudyPeople with Multiple Sclerosis

Johnny

Burke

Current MarketWhat solutions exist? Allprimarydatacollectedisfromusers

whousestandardmotorisedwheelchairssuchasthis.

TheI-Botsomewhatsolvestheproblemofclimbingkerbsandsteps.Itisnolongeravailabletobuyandwasveryexpensive

(http://www.ibotnow.com)

“Powerstroll”attachestoamanualwheelchairsoanassistantmaypusheasier

Johnny

Burke

The“carrier”conceptattemptstosolvesomeoftheidentifiedproblems