A novel feedback-based intervention tool designed specifically to help children with cerebral palsy improve their hand motor skills.
'Harmonium-Inspired Device'
The device for children, consists of fine motor skills based on actions such as push, pull, press, tap, squeeze, slide, rotate and clap. The device is integrated with an application for special educators with features such as generating auditory and visual cues, different sounds according to the children's needs, monitoring children's interaction with the device, and conducting an assessment.
Special educators provide audio and visual cues from the app. The cues remain for 5 seconds, allowing children time to determine the appropriate action to perform. Based on the action performed, the device provides audio feedback. Depending on the level of action performed, different types of audio are generated (e.g., variations in tempo, pitch, and volume). After each level of action, the special educators can provide customizable reinforcement to encourage children to stay motivated and continue using the device.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Limitations of
the device
Limited Auditory Customization
Assessment Tools
Auditory Experience Constraints
Dependence on Special Educators
Limited Flexibility in Hardware
Generalization of Feedback
90%
Source: StartUp Genome
Future Scope
Advanced Auditory Customization
Enhanced Assessment Capabilities
Integration of Learning Methods
Modular Design
Enhanced Assessment Documentation
Source: StartUp Genome
PROCESS
Project Approach
Following a Agile Methodology - Very simplified Waterfall management model
Require | Design | Implement | Verify
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3
4
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/ Require /
/ Design /
/ Implement /
/ Verify /
Collect feedback from therapists, educators, and parents. Assess the current prototype's limitations and identify features for improvement.
Conduct research to align requirements with the needs of children with special needs, focusing on gamification and multimodal feedback. Create a list of essential functionalities for the new prototype.
Design and prototype new features, focusing on visual feedback, modular adjustments, and parental interfaces.
Develop flowcharts to illustrate child interactions, highlighting multimodal features. Create a flexible blueprint for the device's hardware and software to meet diverse developmental needs.
Build a more refined version of the prototype. Program the device to track user data for trend analysis, enabling better assessment of rehabilitation progress.
Perform iterative development cycles, creating small versions of the enhanced prototype for early testing and feedback.
Test the enhanced prototype with different stakeholders, including children, educators, and therapists.Observe interactions to verify that each feature works as intended, focusing on usability, engagement, and the ability to adapt to individual preferences.
Refine and improve the device based on user testing, ensuring that it caters to diverse rehabilitation needs effectively.
/REQUIRE/
SWOT Analysis
User-Centric Design
mCODe method ensures the needs of children are well-addressed.
Multiple Actions Supported
Push, pull, press, slide, squeeze, rotate for varied motor skills.
Visual cues and auditory reinforcement enhance user engagement.
Positive and adaptive feedback motivates children.
Modular components can be tailored for each child.
Limited Auditory Customization
Lacks options for pitch, tempo, etc.
Needs more advanced metrics for progress tracking.
Repetitive Experience Lack of game elements could reduce long-term engagement
Limited Reporting Missing detailed tools for tracking therapy progress.
S
W
Advanced Metrics
Improve progress tracking and personalized interventions.
Scalability
Potential for use in homes and schools
User Acceptance Repetitiveness may limit long-term engagement.
Training Needs
Special training for caregivers could be a barrier.
O
Music Therapy Elements
Adding features could enhance rehabilitation
Adding Gamified Experiences could boost motivation.
Budget Constraints: Limited funding in some centers may hinder adoption.
Competition: Competitors with advanced features may reduce market share.
T
SUPPORTING LITERATURE SURVEY
This is what I found
The literature provides insights into conventional therapies, existing technologies, and their limitations, which can guide the design of an innovative, adaptable, and interactive hand rehabilitation device. Emphasizing play-based, sensory-driven interventions that align with the needs of special educators, children, and parents will help ensure both therapeutic efficacy and user satisfaction.
Device Testing
We tested our device with 7 kids at Sishu Sarothi, observing how children of varying ages and abilities interacted with it. This provided insights into the design's effectiveness and areas for improvement.
AT SISHU SAROTHI
Child
Age Range
Brief Description
Interaction Details
Observations
Suggested Improvements
Child 1
5 - 8
Best Hand Motor Skills
Proficient with all functions
- Engaged well with PU 1-3, pressed P 1-6 accurately
- Successfully performed R1
Enthusiastic interaction
- Required prompting for SL
- Improve SL intuitiveness
Child 2
5 - 8
Visual Impairment
- Grasped PU 1-3 but needed guidance for reassembly
- Engaged happily with SQ
- Used R1 like a turntable
- Motivated by lights in P 1-6
- Enjoyed visual cues
- Needed assistance with PU 1-3 and R1
- Introduce more guiding mechanisms for PU
- Use strong multi-sensory cues
Child 3
5 - 8
Aggressive Personality
- Banged on the device aggressively
- Trainer had to take the device away due to aggression
- Improve device robustness to withstand forceful use
5 - 8
Child 4
Poorest Hand Motor Skills
- Grasped PU 1-3, struggled with reassembly
- Required hand holding for R1 and SQ
- Basic tapping on R1
- Needed hand-over-hand assistance for interaction
- Simplify components
- Adapt R1 and SQ for easier access
Child 5
5 - 8
General Interaction
- Needed prompting for SL and R1
- Played with SQ independently
- Pressed P 1-6, but had trouble with pressure
- Required frequent prompting
- Struggled with pressure sensitivity of buttons
- Improve button sensitivity
- Add visual prompts to guide interaction
Child 6
10
Enthusiastic, Aggressive
- Showed enthusiasm, laughed
- Engaged with SQ
- Banged hard on the device
- Trainer removed device due to aggressive use
- Use stronger materials for device components
Child 7
12
High Support Needs
- Did not perform functional actions
- Enjoyed lights turning on
- Engaged with visual stimuli
- Lacked physical interaction
- Focus on enhanced visual and auditory engagement
Observation Analysis
Press the Button
Expected interaction
Children were supposed to press the button using their fingers.
Reality - Grab
Instead of pressing, many tried to grab and pull the button.
Reality - Grab
Instead of pressing, many tried to grab and pull the button.
Push and Pull
Pull is easy
Children were supposed to press the button using their fingers.
Push is difficult
They struggled to push it back into place, finding its wobbliness challenging.
Twisting Needs Guidance
Children didn’t recognise twisting as an option until instructed by their teachers.
Rotate the Disc
Most children didn’t know how to rotate the disc. After guidance, some could perform the action, while others still pressed it like a button.
Compress the harmonium blower
Children understood how to compress the blower, largely due to their familiarity with grasping motions.
Additionally, the position where their hands were naturally placed made it easier for them to interact with the blower correctly.
Requirement Generation
Checklist
Mind Map for each component and gathering requirements
Physical Changes
Button Customization: Larger buttons with height differences for easier identification.
Modular Design: Adjustable components like buttons, knobs for varied motor skills.
Grip Assistance: Guiding mechanisms for grasping and reinsertion of components.
Durability and Safety: Soft, rounded edges; secure button fixtures; non-slip base.
Stability: Non-slip feet, weighted base, and robust construction materials.
Interactive Features: Add tactile differentiation for different actions (e.g., textures on buttons).
Trigger Changes
Multi-Sensory Triggers: LED lights to indicate actions, different vibration intensities.
Engagement Features: Rhythmic elements and color changes to trigger interaction.
Adaptive Difficulty: Adjustable resistance for actions like squeezing, rotating, and pressing.
User Adaptability: Trigger modes for different skill levels (beginner to advanced).
Feedback Changes
Visual Feedback: LED rings with color-changing lights for different pressure levels.
Auditory Feedback: Customizable sounds like melodies or rhythmic cues that adapt to the user's actions.
Tactile Feedback: Vibration to reinforce correct action execution and differentiate levels of success.
Progress Monitoring: Track user performance with score-based improvement tracking.
Positive Reinforcement: Real-time feedback with rewarding cues such as lights or sounds for successful interactions.
/ DESIGN /
For Rotate ( R1 )
- Disk with holes for easy navigation to rotate
- Abstract shapes with, allowing to accommodate children's fingers.
- Having resistance and visual light feedback when the disc rotates clockwise and anticlockwise.
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For Slide ( SL )
- Having multiple beads on the slider
- Having the slider on the side
- Having multiple shapes to increase the intuitiveness of the slider
For Pull / Push ( PU 1-3 )
- Adding slots in the knob and bumps on the casing
- Adding magnets at the end of the knob and inside the slot
- Adding grooves in the slot and the casing.
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For Pressing ( P 1-6 )
- Placing buttons at a distance to make them easy to press
- Button with multiple presses
- Buttons with varying heights
Extra Elements
Elements that can be added on the basis of
different movements observed during play
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CONCEPTS TO BE PROTOTYPED
Concepts
Interactive Control Board: The card could be linked to elements of a story such as characters or settings. This interactive feature helps children make decisions, explore different outcomes, and engage with storytelling actively. Card could also represent the exact map of the device.
Tactile and Sensory Interaction: The physical components like rotating wheels, buttons, knobs, and handles allow children to physically manipulate parts of the device while listening to or creating a story.