CrutchComfort

Assignment

In the Advanced Prototyping minor, the assignment was to design and prototype a personalized wearable or tool. Additionally, we had to create a VR experience demonstrating the design, incorporating at least one interactive element.

The result

I designed a crutch with a personalized handgrip that fits my hand perfectly and an unfoldable stand, allowing it to be placed anywhere without falling over. This feature was added based on my own experience using crutches, as I often encountered this issue.

The Process

While making the crutch, I focused on experimenting and testing. Developing the handgrip, in particular, involved a lot of trial and error. I created a mold and cast it with polyurethane, as well as 3D printed it using TPU. TPU quickly showed promising results, and after testing different printer settings, I successfully printed a functional handgrip, which I later smoothed using a heat gun. Additionally, I completed two iterations of the stand, which was inspired by a music stand.