Design Requirements
Our crutches exemplify functionality, and we wanted to ensure that they would be assisting our user in every way. We had to set parameters and goals for us to work towards to guarantee that our crutches make recovery a smoother experience.
Parameters
The Big Three
In particular, we had three main points of functionality for our design:
Wireless connection
Height range from 5-6 ft
Weighs less than 5 pounds
Wireless connection was a key component to our project as it enhanced the simplicity of the design for our user while keeping the crutches in sync. Our crutches will work in synchronism for up to a distance of 100 meters away from each other.
We also wanted a broad height range, and not just to serve a variety of users. We found through user testing that the same person, using a differing height on the crutches, found it easier or harder to maneuver up stairs. Longer crutches were favored for going down, while shorter crutches made going up easier. This minute shifting was a key inspiration and parameter for our design.
Crutches can already be taxing for a recovering patient, and while we knew that linear actuators would inevitably increase the weight of the crutch, we strove to keep that weight manageable and balanced for the user. The crutches are held stable against our user’s body so that their weight isn’t cumbersome.
Secondary Parameters
Ensuring Excellence
Supports up to 225 lbs per crutch
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Each of our crutches can support up to 225 lbs. While we knew that the linear actuators could handle the weight, we had to consider the support of the linear actuators in how we mounted it to the frame.
Battery Life
Our crutches use 12 volt batteries and can continuously run for up to an hour: about the equivalent of a day’s use. We had to look for the best linear actuator that could successfully, efficiently, and reliably fulfill our requirements for battery usage.
Adjusts At 10 mm/sec
Our crutches adjust at 10 mm/second so that the user can fine tune the height for optimal comfort. We had to balance the speed of the linear actuator with the cost of the project as a whole. We would have liked to make it even faster if we had a bigger budget.
