3B8 – Universal Design Innovation (ME3B8) Group 10 Alastair Greene Dearbhle Creagh Niall Redmond Stephen Harrold Sarah O’Rourke 3B8 – Universal Design Innovation (ME3B8) Final Presentation

Meet the team Alastair Greene Stephen Harrold Niall Redmond Sarah O’Rourke Dearbhle Creagh

Successful Aging What products and services are out there for older people? What is a problem area for members of the ageing community? How can we improve their quality of life?

Stakeholders Members of the ageing community Nurses and caregivers Student doctors and physiotherapists Insight into the challenges faced by the ageing community

Needfinding Interviews Focus groups Online surveys Questionnaire

Problem Areas Technology Wellbeing Mobility “Technology is a young persons field” Technology Problems using computers/Internet Difficulty using buttons/knobs Wellbeing Loneliness Keeping healthy and active Mobility Reaching high shelves, changing lightbulbs, lifting heavy objects Quote from Carer “Biggest worry is that they’ll get sick and be unable to contact anyone” “As I’m getting older I can’t afford to take risks”

Results from Needfinding

Main problem area: Mobility Don’t like standing on chairs Stairs Reaching high shelves Lifting heavy objects Changing light bulbs Moving around the house Using the bath Getting in and out of cars Needing to hold a sweeping brush

Further Research Interviews with long term nursing home residents Trip to Royal Hospital Donnybrook Interviews with existing stakeholders at home Broken hip reaching for nearby object Problems reaching for items at different heights Difficulty grabbing DVD cases from low shelves Paralyzed after a stroke

Mission Statement “Create shelves of adjustable height that may be universally used by all, without limitations of the shelf being too high or too low for a user; Our goal is to improve the quality of life for the ageing community by avoiding unnecessary injuries caused by climbing on unsteady steps or bending down to reach lower shelves.”

Functional Requirements Easily access objects out of reach Not to limit to “average” height Intuitively operational Clearly labelled operating switches Easy to access Avoid finnicky knobs or handles

High Level Strategies 1. Extend User’s Reach: Use mechanical means to reach lower/higher shelves. Eg. Vending Machine, Litter Picker 2. Single Shelf Height Adjustment: Adjust the height of the single desired shelf so that it reaches user’s optimum height. User only need press a button. 3. Whole Shelf Set Height Adjustment: Adjust the height of the whole set of shelves so that each shelf can be accessed. Shelves move up/down as one unit.

2. Single Shelf Height Adjustment 3. Whole Shelf Height Adjustment Strategy Pugh Matrix Requirements Weights (%) Concepts Datum Normal Shelving   1. Extend the User's Reach 2. Single Shelf Height Adjustment 3. Whole Shelf Height Adjustment Safety 30 -1 Simplicity 15 2 Cost 10 1 Manufacturable 5 Storage Reliable Speed Adaptable ∑(+1) - 4 ∑(-1) 3 ∑ 100 -5 25

Strategy Selection Strategy 2 (Single shelf adjustment) came out on top in Pugh matrix and in stakeholder votes Definitely the most elegant strategy “Like electric windows in cars, where you press the button and they move” Strategy 3 would be too bulky

Previous Solutions Last year Group 6 made a smart shelf. One shelf at a time would travel out and be raised Our improvements: Rotation avoids mistakes in choosing wrong shelf Faster to examine all shelves More shelves in the same space Storage Motion Inc. have a range of rotating wardrobes and pantries Our improvements: Less space is used in a sleeker, less bulky design Ability to rotate clockwise and anticlockwise

Our top three concepts 1. CarouShelf: 2. Shelevator: 3. Rise & Shelf: Shelves rotate about central axis. Central axis is mounted to a stand. Concepts satisfies eye level need. 2. Shelevator: Shelves attached to a moving chain Chain moves shelf desired to eye level, shuffling the rest to the back Has been done before, room for improvement 3. Rise & Shelf: Actuator pushes single shelf to main plate Main plate rises to eye level Main plate tilts to slide shelf back into place

Working Prototypes 1. CarouShelf: 2. Shelevator: 3. Rise & Shelf:

Concept Pugh Matrix 1. CarouShelf 2. Shelevator 3. Rise & Shelf Requirements Weights (%) Concepts Datum Normal Shelving 1. CarouShelf 2. Shelevator 3. Rise & Shelf Safety 30 Simplicity 15 1 Cost 10 -1 -10 Manufacturable 5 Storage Reliable Speed Efficient Space Usage ∑(+1) - 3 ∑(-1) 2 ∑ 100 20 45

Concept evaluation Feedback acquisition: Asked stakeholders for initial impressions and votes. Presented concepts to sampling groups of engineering Students and took votes. Each team member voted. Most Votes: Shelevator Pugh Matrix: Ranked with respect to datum. Specified criteria relevant to mission statement. Best Evaluation: Shelevator

The shelevator Shelevator Sketch Shelevator Prototype

The shelevator

The shelevator- How it works Cogs are connected to motor Blue Circle highlights rope (will be a chain in model) attaching shelf to belt Horizontal dowelrunning across shelf Dowel connected to the chain Wooden shelves ideally prevented from swinging by two guides; At the front going top to bottom Going down the centre between the two cogs

Building the Shelevator Recycled bike parts Old wood from a bookcase Motor ordered from Active Robots

Finished Product

End of presentation Thank you for listening.