| Popis: |
Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common childhood developmental disorder. The symptoms of spastic cerebral palsy frequently lead to immobility. In the lower body, this presents as a result of insufficient push off strength or insufficient gait swing clearance causing tripping and falling. A common tool in the rehabilitation of spastic cerebral palsy is cueing, or a physical prompting of proper function. In 2021 and 2022, teams created a device that uses a vibration stimulus to cue. Working with the Stanford Department of Orthopedics, our team believes we can improve upon the existing proof of concept to create a useful research instrument. Our final prototype utilizes a custom printed circuit board (PCB) and battery secured inside of polycarbonate protective casings. The cases are secured in a hand-sewn neoprene brace for variable tightness. Both the total weight and casing footprint from the previous prototype were by 50% respectively. Test results confirmed that the casing takes no damage when dropped, and that the casing can sustain a 125 kg sustained load without deformation. Additionally, in an experiment with seven participants, that brace and vibration were comfortable. In the future, the PCB could be further miniaturized through removing prebuilt modules, the brace could be outsourced for professional construction, and the casing injection molded. The device would become cheaper, smaller, and more robust through these actions. |
