HACKAHEALTH 2022

October 2022

Taking part in the HackaHealth 2022, a community that supports the development of personalized solutions for people with disabilities, in Zurich, I realized that sometimes the simplest ideas are the best solutions.

My group and I were trying to find a solution for Jonathan, a young man who uses an electric wheelchair and struggled to open tram or train doors.

The problem was that the distance to the door was too wide for him to reach it himself without getting stuck with his wheelchair. So, he asked us to come up with an extendable device to help him press the button to open the doors.

The first approach of designing a device that extends automatically was discarded after a short test. The navigation and precise aiming for the door button took too long and the tram left before the device reached the button.

The next approach was a manual device. We customized a White Cane to Jonathan's needs by shortening it, adding a retrieval cord, and making it easier to collapse. In addition, we designed a front part in the form of a hockey ball, Jonathan's favorite sport, and made it anti-slip, so it was even safer to use.

At Jonathan's request, we also wired the White cane and added a laser pointer in the front, so aiming became easier.

Although it is a very simple solution, Jonathan was very happy with the result and said "The stick is my constant companion. It was very nice that I could be part of the design, conceptualization, and manufacturing process and that my wishes and needs were taken into account."

If you want to read more about Jonathan and the project you can check out this article about it (German only).