The main topic of our project was proprioceptive training. We have found out that, despite its importance, proprioception is often unknown or underestimated. For this reason, we wanted to develop a device for proprioceptive exercises to give more relevance to this useful discipline, including both for training and rehabilitation.

CONTEXT

BRIEF RECAP

Connecting stabilometric analysis with proprioceptive exercises.

Opportunity to monitor the training to make it safer and more effective.

For people from all age bands

Developing motor coordination, rhythm skills and all body strengthening

Prevention and decreasing possibility of falling accidents

No products between simple proprioceptive board (used for training) and very complex and expensive stabilometric machine (used for rehabilitation)

We came out with a proprioceptive board, that actively help and train users, thanks to its inflatable pillows and axes-controlled movement

MAIN FUNCTIONS

INFLATING PILLOWS

To practice proprioception, the most important exercise is to stay balanced on a tilting platform. These devices are ranked by difficulty, related to their height. P-Board allows having one single device to practice at different levels of difficulty, encouraging improvement and avoiding dangerous accident for beginners.

The four pillows can be inflated compared to the level of the user, before each exercise or even during the same training.

AXIS-LOCKING SYSTEM

From rehabilitation of articulation after a trauma, it’s fundamental to follow the right steps to treat the injured joint. For this reason, it is fundamental to control movements having a single-axis board. P-Bard uses four hydraulic pistons to control the movement of the foot-board in both the direction.

The possibility to control both levels of difficulty and, at the same time, the axial movement makes P-Board a unique device on the market. Usually, the user has to choose between a lot of different boards and buy more than one to complete a correct journey of rehab or training.

IMPROVEMENTS

Behind the board, we designed a platform which allows the user to check their progress after training, but more important to have real-time feedback during the training. This possibility makes the single training section more efficient and more funny, taking into account not only the medical part but also the experience of the user trying to keep him more involved.

1. Profile setting

The user can create a personal account to update and check improvements. In addition to common information for training, users can add a pain test results to create a more personalized program.

2. Stabilometric analysis

Before to start the training, the user can do a stabilometric test to get more information about his current situation and create a more specific program.

3 . Inflating pillows

Waiting a few seconds until the pillows are swollen according to the settings.

4. Training set up

Users have to set their preferences about the difficulty level and axis-locking control.

5. Exercises

The training can start! To be more involved and focused, the user can decide to have visual support through digital devices during the exercises: such as labyrinths, paths to be completed, games, etc.

6. Improvements

At the end of the training, the system gives the user a recap of the performance and a general overview of his improvements and goal reached.

1. Profile setting

The user can create a personal account to update and check improvements. In addition to common information for training, users can add a pain test results to create a more personalized program.

2. Stabilometric analysis

Before to start the training, the user can do a stabilometric test to get more information about his current situation and create a more specific program.

3 . Inflating pillows

Waiting a few seconds until the pillows are swollen according to the settings.

4. Training set up

Users have to set their preferences about the difficulty level and axis-locking control.

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USER EXPERIENCE

An essential objective of this project was based on designing a flexible device, taking into account the needs of a wide target audience of different users.

Overview

The Final Projects is the synthesis of the master’s degree in Design & Engineering. During this course, the students, working in small groups, have to design with a complete approach, from research until engineering. My group and I decided to analyse a complex scenario related to proprioception training, trying to bring together the sporting and rehabilitative aspects. After the approval of the concept, we started an important engineering process. In addition to designing the entire mechanical system, we have done FEM analysis of the main mechanical components and in-depth research for the choice of the most suitable materials and production processes, without losing sight of the market both in terms of available technologies and cost.

PERSONAL IMPROVEMENTS

No phase of the project has been dealt with superficially, this has allowed us to deepen both the initial part of analyzing the context and users’ needs and the final part of engineering. Having to manage all the phases of the project and the related deadlines and requests, we have improved our skills in project management and validating the choices of concept phase reliably and convincingly. At the end of the course, I noticed an important growth in the overall management of a project: meeting deadlines, validating technical and concept choices, communicating the contents of the project effectively and consistently.

Topics

Design research
Working group
Concept ideation
Engineering
FEM analysis
Prototyping

P-Board

Master Degree’s Final Project - Group project

Sept 2017 - Jan 2018

P-Board helps people to improve their proprioception in a more safe, funny and efficient way, both for training or rehabilitation.

CONTROL SYSTEM

The system in the whole is composed by different elements that work synergistically.

WITH TV

The user can connect the board to the TV through an HDMI-key and control it using the remote control or a smartphone thanks to the App.

WITHOUT TV

Users can decide to train without the help of a tv. In this case, they can still have real-time feedback using the application on mobile devices, connecting them directly with the board through a Bluetooth connection.

ONE IN A THOUSAND

In the exceptional case of a user that doesn’t have both TV and mobile device, we designed remote control with light feedback to make the user understand the board setting and to manage the basic features, like controlling pillows and axis-locking.

SUPPORT

Despite how it looks, the proprioception could be a tricky ability to improve and the risk of a serious accident is relevant, even more during rehabilitation. For this reason, we gave to the users the possibility to attach a support to the board, in three different configurations. In this way, the risk of accident falling can dramatically be reduced.

ENGINEERING

We designed all the components according to the criteria of selected production processes: dimensions, thicknesses, tolerances, subsequent processing, etc. Besides, we designed an assembly process that was simple and allowed a disassembly suitable for repairs and dismantling.

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ENGINEERED PARTS

The course focused heavily on the engineering phase. After the concept validation, we conducted detailed research on the most suitable materials and production processes for our project, taking into consideration different aspects: excellent mechanical characteristics, reliable production processes, costs analysis concerning the target and the market sector, technological innovation.

We carried out several mechanical simulations, mainly FEM analysis, on the 5 components subjected to the highest mechanical stresses: frame inside the platform, the lower shell of the foot-board, rotation centre, four cushions and four pneumatic pistons.

We did in-depth research for the choice of the most suitable materials and production processes, without losing sight of the market both in terms of available technologies and cost analysis.