The final project consisted of creating a solution to a problem presented from our client, James, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (a syndrome that breakdowns the connective tissues in the body resulting in weaker ligaments, tendons, and joints among other parts). This disease make playing board games strenuous at times due to the difficulty in manipulating small game components. Out team’s goal was to create a prototype that can alleviate this pain, reduce the potential cause of injury, and help him be able to play games for longer periods of time.
<aside> 💡 Refined Problem Statement: We are tasked with helping our client, James who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which causes him lot of pain, to play board games at home. To achieve this, we will create a tool that is ergonomic, portable, adjustable, and safe that will reduce the amount of pain and injuries he endures
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Here were our Objectives and Constraints
Objectives:
Constraints
The prototype functions by using an electromagnet at the end of a long handheld arm that can pick up and drop off game pieces coated with nickel tape. The long arm aims to reduce the amount of reaching James must do to move pieces around the board allowing him to remain in a position that is most comfortable and beneficial to his back. This is especially important since James has mentioned that a comorbid condition that he endures is scoliosis. Furthermore, the handle is ergonomic allowing for a more comfortable grip of the tool.
Developed electromagnet gripper device
Additionally, since the handle is coated in rubber this reduces the slipping of fingers across the surface which reduces the amount of accidental lateral movement. Another complaint that James mentioned regarding board games was the requirement of very fine motor skills to pick up small pieces. By utilizing the electromagnet James no longer needs to extensively use his finger joints to pick up small pieces he simply needs to flip the switch to activate the electromagnet to move pieces.
The next step would focus on improving the safety and user experience. For example, do a survey for multiple handle designs and select the best rated option. Additionally, using custom-made components, such as a custom-made ABS tube or smaller electromagnet module, to decrease the total weight of the device. Moreover, it would be beneficial to create an arm component that would be able to extend to be able grab pieces that are much closer without needing to compromise position. This could be achieved using a linear actuator. It would also be profitable to use a more sensitive switch or a touch screen of some sort to reduce pressure on the fingers when activating and deactivating the electromagnet The final part is to increase visual appearance.
Bill of materials
Our final proposed design consists of an electromagnet connected to the end of an arm and a container which conceals the circuit. The device does require a setup of attaching nickel strips to each game piece that will be used by the client. After setting up the game, the device can be used by hovering the device near a game piece and flicking the toggle switch which will activate the electromagnet and pick up the piece. Flicking the toggle switch a second time will release the piece.
The electromagnet will be used to pick up a game piece, and the arm will allow for a greater range of motion. The design works off a 5-volt DC power adapter that can provide up to 2A of current with an input voltage of 100~240 volts. The circuit is controlled by a toggle switch and consists of a green indicator LED and the electromagnet. All circuit elements are connected using 24-gauge speaker wires.
The device is appropriately sized and lightweight (approximately 210g) making it very portable. Using an ergonomic handle allowed the device to be comfortable in the hand for long periods of time. These features allow the client to use the device in any environment containing a power plug for long periods of time.