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Common problems with the conventional design of crutches: Proposing a safer design and discussing the potential impact

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  • Brown, Suzana
  • Vairis, Achilles
  • Masoumifar, Ali M.
  • Petousis, Markos

Abstract

This study aims to address the need for improving low-tech and low-cost assistive technology for the population in low and middle-income countries and bridge an assistive technology access divide. In general, the assistive technology industry is extremely specialized and typically designed for high-income settings. This can be inferred from the variety of options for high-end wheelchairs and devices and the limited number of design solutions for a basic walking aid, such as the crutch. Moreover, available designs of assistive devices are often not suitable for the physical, social, and cultural environment of users resulting in a high abandonment rate (as high as 75%, although figures vary depending on the type of assistive devices). In pursuit of addressing this problem, a survey was conducted to explore what users find most challenging with current designs of a tradition walking aid, the crutch. Drawing on 2 primary datasets gathered through surveying 50 participants in various rehabilitation centers in Korea and interviewing 5 users in a refugee camp in Malawi who use crutches, the current study offers a description of the underlying factors of satisfaction on the individual level and suggests a solution of one issue identified. It proposes an alternative design for an enhanced crutch shoe, designed to increase the versatility of the crutch while keeping it affordable and compatible with existing crutch frames. The proposed design's stability on uneven terrain was evaluated through simulation and compared to the conventional crutch for levels of ground displacement. Furthermore, the study examines the potential impact of the proposed design while estimating the cost of production and the size of its potential market. From a theoretical perspective, the differences between the existing and the proposed crutch design are considered in terms of the Technology Domestication theory by considering the role of the environment in the everyday context.

Suggested Citation

  • Brown, Suzana & Vairis, Achilles & Masoumifar, Ali M. & Petousis, Markos, 2020. "Common problems with the conventional design of crutches: Proposing a safer design and discussing the potential impact," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:60:y:2020:i:c:s0160791x1930288x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.101215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Huang, Chun-Yao & Wu, Chang-Kang & Liu, Ping-Yu, 2022. "Assistive technology in smart cities: A case of street crossing for the visually-impaired," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Kim, Justine Jihyun & Lee, Jongsu & Shin, Jungwoo & He, Meihan, 2022. "How are high-tech assistive devices valued in an aging society? Exploring the use and non-use values of equipment that aid limb disability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).

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