User Study: Design of a Universal Jar Lid Using Additive Manufacturing to Support Aging in Place
Open Access
- Author:
- Olanrewaju, Hannah
- Area of Honors:
- Mechanical Engineering (Behrend)
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Charlotte Marr De Vries, Thesis Supervisor
Adam Scott Hollinger, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Universal Design
Aging in Place
User Study
Additive Manufacturing
Fused Filament Fabrication - Abstract:
- This study aimed to use the concepts of universal design to support aging in place initiatives. In an ideal world, every product and environment would be designed for the use of all people, regardless of physical ability. The reality is that most products and spaces are geared towards able-bodied individuals. As a result, accessibility barriers and challenges are introduced to those who are not fully physically able. This is especially true for the aging population since aging causes one’s physical ability to deteriorate. As aging is an inevitable aspect of life and as the size of the aging population is increasing, it becomes extremely important to produce inclusive designs. This will better ensure that people can maintain their independence and have a high quality of life as they grow older. The goal of this research is to use the principles of universal design and surveys from the Erie senior community to design a 3D printable universal product. The universal product will enhance the independence of aging individuals with reduced hand strength or dexterity in their completion of a common daily task. It is desirable to have a 3D printable design due to the public’s increased access to printers through maker spaces and the low cost of a print. First off, the direction of the research would be driven by a user study. Obtaining approval from Penn State’s IRB committee enabled the research to be conducted in senior centers. The purpose of the study was to identify a daily task that had become challenging for seniors due to reduced hand strength and dexterity. The information collection was from a written user survey, and the measuring of hand grip strength, pinch strength, and dexterity. Opening a jar was the top ranked difficult task which means there is a desire for a universal product relating to this task. This same user study was conducted with college-aged students to establish a baseline of hand ability. Then, data analysis, product background analysis, specification development, and concept generation were completed. The next steps for this research would be to prototype designs for the universal product and conduct another user survey to gain feedback on the design.