ENGS 89/90 Reports

Year of Graduation

2023

Project Advisor

Ryan Halter

Instructor

Solomon Diamond

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

Individuals may need to be on the floor to complete a task, or may find themselves on the floor after a fall. Individuals with functional impairments due to osteoarthritis of the knee, or a total knee replacement, may have difficulty returning to a standing position once they find themselves on the floor. To combat this challenge, the team created an assistive device that aids the user in standing up from the floor. This device is portable and can also be used as a cane. The team completed patient and physical therapist surveys, learned the biomechanical steps of getting up with and without a knee impairment, and completed iterative prototype testing that resulted in a final design. The team designed the prototype using SolidWorks and machined the final design utilizing milling and 3D printing. In addition to the final prototype, the team delivered an information package to the sponsor that contained an engineering analysis and safety plan, a patent search showing freedom to operate within a niche, an FDA classification and reimbursement details, an estimated market size and financial analysis, and a list of possible companies for licensing. Additionally, in order for the sponsor to patent this technology, non obvious aspects of the prototype were tested by the team and subsequently detailed in the sponsor package.

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