Researchers in Brazil recently published "Customer-Centered, Customized Feeding Aids" to explore the design process of assistive devices for people with Parkinson's disease or some degree of hand tremor. Access to nutrition is critical to health, and access to nutritional health is critical for Parkinson's disease patients. With this equipment, patients can have self-care ability in eating.

Based on the integration of tool quality house (QFD) and TRIZ, a user-centered design method is proposed. In this study, a 60-year-old male patient with Parkinson's disease was tested preliminarily. 3D printing was also used as a tool to support and improve the design. The proposed design process brings related improvements in four main areas: 1) facilitating communication among members of multidisciplinary design teams (engineers, occupational therapists, end users); 2) more clearly identifying design needs and user needs and incorporating them into the process; 3) promoting reduced overall development time; 4) allowing functional and innovative viable and creative solutions to be generated; Program.

Although assistive technology has been seriously affected by 3D printing, it has also proved itself to be an important design tool in this study. The design process of the study consists of three stages:

Information and conceptual design
Manufacturing
Testing and improvement

(Conceptual design)

The conceptual model includes:
Main cables fixed with other parts
Cutlery Cover
Back cover
Ergonomic Cover
Adjustable strap

"The cable also contains four internal cavities, which may or may not be filled with water, giving the device five possible weight configurations, weighing twice as much as its weight and completely empty," the researchers said.

The main features of the design are:
Mechanical systems
Non-toxic liquid, balanced tremor
Easy assembly/disassembly

Improving hand contact area
The device finally meets the design requirements of all users and provides a very affordable customization potential.

"Using 3D printer generation models and prototypes can better visualize the proposed technical solutions, thus simplifying the process of product concept improvement. Through interaction and testing with prototypes, stakeholders (occupational therapists, end users) can also participate more and more effectively in the design process, thus significantly collaborating with user-centered design methods.

"Singleton testing with users is critical for assessing product functionality and possible future improvements. Although the results of using AD without filling the cavity (Intervention Stage B) are still inconclusive, it is anticipated that the situation may change with the beginning of filling the cavity (Intervention Stage C)

AD virtual model: (a) side view; (b) assembly drawing; (c) technical drawing.

With the development of 3D printing technology, 3D printer technology has been widely used in medical equipment. Especially in recent years, the concept has been further promoted from biomedical equipment to medical equipment using 3D printing magnets, and then to carbon innovation. In this study, one of the most unique is to allow patients to help complete the entire project to create parts and prototypes of auxiliary equipment.