Collaborative Co-Design: Empowering Occupational Therapists, Engineers, and Clients to Create 3D Printed Devices
This project explores the development and application of a collaborative co-design framework aimed at enhancing the production of assistive devices using 3D printing technology.
The framework emphasizes the active involvement of both occupational therapists and end-users (clients with disabilities) to create personalized, functional devices.
By leveraging open-source designs and innovative 3D printing techniques, the approach aims to democratize the design process, empower clients, and improve therapeutic outcomes. The project prioritizes accessibility, iterative feedback, and user-centric design to ensure that devices meet individual needs effectively while fostering co-creation across multidisciplinary teams.
Co-design ensures that the users' voices are central, enhancing the usability and relevance of the final product, while promoting a sense of ownership and satisfaction among users.
- Collaborative Co-Design Approach: Adopting a user-centered methodology, the project engages therapists and clients in a continuous design process, ensuring that assistive devices are customized to meet individual needs.
- 3D Printing for Accessibility: Utilizing 3D printing technology, the project enhances the affordability and accessibility of assistive devices, enabling faster production of solutions.
- Open-Source Design Integration: Promoting the use of open-source 3D designs, the framework ensures that the designs are adaptable and widely available for customization by therapists and rehabilitation engineers.
- Iterative Design Process: Incorporating regular feedback loops between clients and designers, the process allows for iterative improvements, resulting in functional, comfortable assistive devices tailored to specific disabilities.
- Empowerment Through Participation: Encouraging clients to actively participate in the design process, the project fosters empowerment by valuing their insights and preferences, enhancing the therapeutic value of the devices.
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Bringing together occupational therapists, engineers, and clients, the project creates an interdisciplinary team that co-creates practical and innovative solutions to complex assistive needs.
