Oom Bop Bop Good Vibrations: the use of sensory feedback to create motion inhibition

The use of suits that restrict or inhibit joint motion have been used to aid the design of various kinds of products from cars to wheelchairs and kitchen equipment. Their principal aim has been to allow designers and engineers to understand what it is like to use these products as an older person might use them, effectively prematurely ageing the user. Such suits have been highly successful but suffer several limitations in their use. In using mechanical stiffeners on the joints such as the stiffening effect of the suits depends on the strength of the user; weaker users will find their range of motion reduced more than stronger users. This also raises the question of the sensitivity of such suits; in reality motion restriction may be linked to pain and discomfort hence motion restriction is likely to be more psychological and musko-skeletal than current suits provide. Work has been ongoing at SHU to develop a suit that restricts motion by providing sensory feedback to the user. Specialist software was developed which set motion limits to goniometers which in turn would make motors vibrate if those limits were reached. This work outlines the development of this suit and initial applications for which it has been used

Understanding the roll-on-pilfer-proof process

There is a requirement (within the food packaging industry) for a greater analytical knowledge and more scientific understanding of the ROPP capping process and of the interaction of caps (closures) with the threaded part of the glass container (finish). Threads used within the industry have largely developed empirically from metal thread profiles. An improved understanding is needed so that problems associated with that process can be better understood and solved. Such problems can be manifest in damaged closures, ‘spinners’ and closures that are just too difficult to open. The term ‘spinners’ is used for closures that do not break the pilfer band (a tamper evident safety feature) when twisted. The same term is also used to describe closures that have been turned the wrong way (i.e. clockwise) on opening, stripping the thread whilst not breaking the pilfer band. To combat this problem it is desirable to produce a closure system that has a high torque when twisted in the wrong direction (known as the over torque) whilst maintaining good seal integrity and a low torque for correct opening procedure. A successful feasibility study was carried out to investigate the appropriateness of using finite element techniques to investigate closure systems and gain the required understanding to improve these systems. The follow on project utilised these finite element techniques and experimental testing using a single-head capping machine. The Project focuses on the industry standard glass thread finish called the GF305 that utilises an extra deep, aluminium ROPP closure. The results of this work so far are presented here

Voces aisladas: Reflexiones de adultos mayores sobre el uso y la accesibilidad del packaging durante el confinamiento

El uso de envases por parte de adultos mayores es un evento complejo y multifacético. Es un evento multifacético complejo en tiempos normales. A medida que envejecemos, nuestra fuerza, destreza y capacidad cognitiva disminuyen naturalmente, y es más probable que tengamos problemas de salud. Aislados y retirados de las redes de apoyo normales, muchos adultos mayores tendrían que adaptarse para acceder a los alimentos. El trabajo previo del autor mostró que las influencias de compra se podían dividir en tres áreas: atributos de empaque como tamaño, forma o peso, familiaridad indica si una persona había comprado la marca antes, y factores ambientales como el clima que afecta la capacidad de comprar o la proximidad de familiares o amigos.
 Este pequeño estudio de 30 encuestados mostró que la pandemia de Covid-19 distorsionó estas influencias para todos los encuestados, ha reducido su oportunidad de elección y aumentado su dependencia de los demás. En trabajos anteriores, el autor había dividido las estrategias de afrontamiento para tratar estos problemas, tanto físicos (el uso de cuchillos, etc.) como emocionales (el uso de parientes, amigos, etc.). La pandemia también aumentó la necesidad de estas estrategias en las que los encuestados tuvieron que usar cuchillos en artículos desconocidos o usar redes de apoyo ad hoc, como pedir un abrelatas a través de una ventana

Investigating openability of rigid plastic containers with peelable lids : the link between human strength and grip and opening forces

As society ages there is a growing need to understand issues surrounding declining user capabilities. One such area has been accessibility of packaging by older people. To date much of the current research in this area has focused on measuring strength of older people and analysing the force needed to open various pack formats and has largely concentrated on accessibility of jam or sauce jars. However, a survey by 'Yours' magazine indicated that problems with thin film pack forms and peelable packaging was also an issue for older people. Hence the authors undertook a small-scale study to understand the issues surrounding accessing a rigid plastic container with a peelable lid. To that end the authors built a bespoke measuring device to measure container peeling forces, measured finger friction between pack and finger and undertook an observational analysis on 60 users accessing packaging of this type. Results indicated that the force needed to open containers of this type is lower than measured user forces including older people and it is therefore likely that the issues surrounding accessibility of this type of pack format are related to dexterity not strength. However, the authors also showed that this can be affected by context of use in that oily fingers could reduce the friction coefficient between finger and pack such that older people may not have sufficient strength to open packs of this type

Is green a grey area? Sustainability and inclusivity; the ageing population and recycling

There are growing pressures (political, legislative and environmental) to increase material recovery through recycling. There are two basic recycling schemes in the UK; kerbside and bring-site schemes. With current kerbside schemes, when a householder becomes unable, through age, illness or disability, to physically move their waste containers (bins,boxes or bags) onto the pavement for collection, the refuse collection service provider will enter the property premises, take the containers out to the refuse collection vehicle (RCV), empty them before returning them to the starting point. Obviously, with bring sites, people travel to the site and place the recycling in the banks themselves. With an ageing population, increasing numbers of older people are requiring specialist recycling services. These are likely to become more time consuming and costly as household numbers increase. Bring sites have obvious limitations for older people with their limited mobility and reduce strength. To date little or no previous research has been undertaken about barriers to recycling for older people and the implications to waste management providers of an ageing population. This paper describes initial work beginning to assess this problem within Lab4Living at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU).In this positioning paper, we examine literature regarding barriers to recycling and relationships with age. We outline a hypothetical scenario for the impact of the ageing population on future material recovery rates in the UK, present the initial results of a survey and we describe the potential role that design can play to eliminate these barriers and our activities within this area in our project; ‘The Grey Areas of Green Design’

The 'inclusive engineering' approach: an optimum diameter for ease of opening

Social equality demands a shift in attitude, away from treating older people and people with disabilities as special cases requiring special design solutions, and towards enabling them to have equal access to any product or service through a more inclusive approach to the design of buildings, public spaces and, more recently, products and services. This is not just important for social equality but also for business growth through new products and services and through creating wider potential markets. It is a sad fact of life that as people get older there is a massive decline in their strength and dexterity. Due to the fact that we handle and manipulate so many things throughout our life time, from the tiniest and most dexterous of tasks to heavy manual labour, this decline is very noticeable in our hands. In nearly all the actions that we use our hands for there is some form of grip used in order to hold onto an object before manipulating it. The natural decrease in strength combined with debilitating illness such as arthritis, means that hand grip strength or finger grip strength are very seriously affected. This has a knock on affect of making it much harder to twist things or pinch and pull things. Therefore there is often a measured decrease in torque strength with age caused not so much by a decrease in wrist strength but more often than not by a decrease in grip strength. Consumer packaging is a field in which many people, including young able bodied people, often struggle in relation to openability. Yet it is present in even the most mundane and neccessary of every day tasks such as eating, cleaning teeth, even drinking. Human interation with consumer packaging requires a wide range of hand dexterity and strength and a variety of differing hand actions. This paper looks at just one such set of actions; that used to open bottles and jars. It outlines all the arguments for inclusive design, stressing the importance for both consumers and business. This paper also outlines an engineering design approach for inclusive design that uses real human factors as design limits, resulting in packaging that will be easily opened by all it’s end users without the expensive trial and error approach that has been used up to this point in time. This paper examines the affect of grip strength on the required trorque to open closures and concludes that there is an optimum diameter for ease of opening that will decrease the required strength to open such closures

Assisted Services - Physical support or psychological blow?

Work by Yoxall (2010) and Light (2010) showed that the relationship between artefacts and their use is complex; often beyond mere functional and physical use to a wider psychosocial context. Lack of understanding of this psychosocial aspect of product or service use immediately compromises the product or services design and future success. Further, in attempting to alleviate one issue through improved design we may create others. There is then an inherent complexity in the provision of design solutions that could be specific for each design. That the design process is complex and is involved in attempting to provide answers to 'wicked' problems (Rittel and Weber, 1973) is well understood. However, little work has been undertaken investigating the relationship between design solutions (either artefacts or services) and their effect on wellbeing. To that end the authors have undertaken a number of case studies outlining the complexity of design solutions, the unintended consequences and the effects on wellbeing of the individuals studied. Further the authors attempt to develop enhanced design processes to understand the complexity of the design solutions proposed and improve their effectiveness. The development of this understanding has required an interdisciplinary approach and has been a significant factor in arriving at the recognition of the importance of these psychosocial attachments. Hence this work examines these case studies in detail and examines the benefits and issues of interdisciplinary research activity

Augmented packaging for improved medicine compliance

In studies that have explored the problem of medical non-compliance, i.e. where patients do not adhere to a prescribed regime is a significant and complex problem (Eraker et al. 1984), it is estimated that non-compliance with short-term medication regimes can be as high as 92% with an average of 50% for some chronic diseases (Bergman and Werner, 1963). In their review paper Eraker et al., list a series of possible reasons for non-compliance such as the patients world-view, patient knowledge and experience, social interactions, social and demographic factors along with issues surrounding the training of healthcare professionals. Roter et al., (1998) undertook a meta-analysis of compliance research across a range of health issues and intervention types. The study showed again, that the issue of compliance is complex and that no single intervention strategy works across the board and that success can depend on the condition being treated and the relationship between the doctor and the patient. With the advent of the World Wide Web, interactive technologies and the advent and use of smartphones, there exists the potential to examine the use of this technology as an aid to medical compliance, in particular the improvement of medication regimes. Current digital technology to aid compliance is largely in the form of downloadable 'Apps' that allow a user to register and monitor their pill usage. This paper outlines work on a feasibility study looking at the use of Augmented Reality (AR) to provide support and supplementary information to patients undergoing various medication regimes. Using interviews and observation techniques the study contrasts and compares the patient experience and compliance data between using the AR and undertaking their 'standard' medication regime. The paper discusses the feasibility of using image recognition AR and proposes routes forward for this technology in aiding medical compliance. Keywords: Medical packaging, augmented reality