User Needs, Benchmarking, and Requirements
Our Process:
- To complete user needs analysis, the team met online via Discord. This made sharing screens and files easy. Then we decided that Jamboard would be used to display and consolidate our ideas. Then each team member started to add user needs ideas to the board. No idea was rejected at first, all team members suggested and wrote whatever need they could think of. No team member rejected ideas at this point, this was merely to get a large pool of user needs on the table. Then we organized all the user needs into groups. This helped to reduce the number of repeat user needs in each category. Next, we ranked each section by how much the team valued them. Finally, we ranked every need in each category as well. This gave us a very good idea of what we value and absolutely need in the design.
User Needs
- The main components need to be made of high quality materials.
- The design needs to be comfortable for the user to wear for long periods of time.
- Directional movement needs to be precise to prevent personal injury.
- The total design needs to be within the budget of $240.
- The user instructions for use must be easy to comprehend.
- The design must be able to be used by people with limited mobility.
- The design must be designed to prevent recurring repairs or replacement.
- The finger coils need to be able to be removed with one hand for those with limited mobility.
- The design needs to have a low energy level to mitigate risk of injury.
- Materials used must be stiff to help control muscle spasms and improve exercise capacity.
- The finger straps must be able to adapt to various finger sizes.
- The design must be less than 2-3 pounds for users with limited strength.
- The design must be small and portable.
- The design’s main components must be self-contained.
- The design must have connections from the fingers to the wrist for controlled movement and pressure.
- The connection points need to avoid having any exposed wires or possible sharp edges.
- The user must be able to grab objects while wearing the gloves.
- The design must take into consideration various user’s levels levels of pressure or strength.
- The design must take into consideration various user’s levels of flexion and extension movements.
- The design needs to allow for stretching and flexing movements to prevent stiffness.
- The design must allow for individual finger movements.
- The design must offer a stabilizer to offset tremors and shaking.
- The design must be rechargeable.
- The design must be able to be maintained at a low cost.
- The design needs to control stiffness through pressure control.
- The design must be accessible to all age groups and levels of education.
- The design must be able to withstand 2-4 hours of daily use.
- The design needs to offer a passive movement to help improve muscle strength and aid recovery.
- The design needs to avoid sharp edges to prevent injury to the user.
- The pressure sensor must be designed to prevent force that could cause injury to the user and others.
- Instructions must be precise and able to be understood by an elementary reading level.
- Any materials touching the user must be made of medical grade materials.
- Materials touching the user must not cause increased humidity while wearing to prevent chafing or damage to the user’s skin.
- The pressure sensor must be able to react and retract finger coils in under 3 seconds.
- The design must use at least one motor controlled by a motor controller communicating over the I2C or SPI-based protocol.
- The design must incorporate at least two external environmental serial sensors.
- The design must incorporate easy to understand visual indicators.
- Indicators must be noticeable at all times, and in all weather conditions
- The glove should include a sensor that shows the user how much pressure they are exerting.
- The device should help the user sense fluctuations in temperature to prevent injury.
- The device should help stabilize vibrations in the glove to help regulate pressure.
- The product can display on-screen feedback from users after use.
- Should come with everything needed to operate the device.
- Designers need to understand the center of gravity of the product in the prototype to prevent user fatigue and other discomforts in the process of use.
- Product design should take into account the size of the user’s hand, or have stretchable materials to facilitate wearing.
- The operating temperature of the components should be clearly understood before designing the product.
- The design should not be complex to use.
- The design should offer stabilization to help maintain hand control.
- The internal components should be able to withstand heat to prevent injury.
- Products should have a certain impact resistance to prevent damage caused by excessive collisions.
- Designers need to understand the center of gravity of the product in the prototype to prevent user fatigue and other discomforts in the process of use.
- Should be designed to be manufactured for either the right or left hand.
- Any balloon or enclosed air should be resistant to leaks and sharp objects.
- The product can display the remaining power on the screen.
- The battery capacity should be sufficient to support the user’s daily use for a long time.
- Design product features that can be easily accepted by the user’s target.
- The working principle does not need to be too complicated to facilitate the production and subsequent repair of the product.
- The service life of the product should be within the user’s ability to accept.
- After the product stops working, the finger movement joints controlled by each part should be returned to the normal position to prevent injury.
- In the event of a product failure, the entire circuit system needs to have an emergency treatment plan.
Benchmarking
Our Process:
- The team met on Discord again to do the benchmarking. First we agreed that we would look up ideas relating to Parkinson’s or nerve damage therapy relating to the hand. This produced a few different products that the team thought were interesting and helpful. We analyzed the positive and negative comments on each product to get more user needs directly from users.
1.Steadi-Two: Tremor Reducing Glove
Search #1
Keywords: Parkinson, grip, sensor
Search Results Link: Here
Price: $649.00
Vendor: Steadi-Wear
Description: The Steadi-Two is a ground-breaking glove designed to significantly reduce your hand tremor in Essential tremor. Steadi-Two key features:
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Provides INSTANT stability to your tremor.
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NO batteries or charging required.
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Lightweight: The device weighs under 1lb.
| Positive Comments | |
|---|---|
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “The Steadi-Two has really helped her. Anything that helps to reduce her tremor makes her feel better about herself, and that makes me feel better.” | 1. The device inspires confidence (Explicit) |
| 2. Sense of independence ( Latent) | |
| 3. Peace of mind for family (Explicit) | |
| “I have just spent a month with the new Steadi-Two glove and I am delighted. It is light, very effective, easy to put on and take off and I could wear it for hours with no problem.” | 1. The device is very simple to use (Explicit) |
| 2. Comfortable to wear ( Explicit) | |
| 3. No adverse impact on day to functions (Latent) | |
| “When I put [the glove] on, I had a lot of good relief as far as being able to drink without spilling all over myself, and eat” | 1. The device makes it easy to do simple life tasks. ( Explicit) |
| 2. Prevents messes from happening (Explicit) | |
| 3. Less stress ( Latent) | |
| Negative Comments (Original Version ) | |
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “The original version was limited to certain tremor types” | 1. Offers no support for certain conditions (Explicit) |
| 2. More of a hindrance to non-covered users (Latent) | |
| 3. Not listed conditions covered (Latent) | |
| “Original version was to large” | 1. Could not fit everybody (Explicit) |
| 2. Limited to certain customers (Explicit) | |
| 3. Complicated to use (Latent) | |
| “Original version was to heavy” | 1. Harder to use (Explicit) |
| 2. Not user-friendly (Explicit) | |
| 3. Not compatible with all users ( Explicit) |
2. GYENNO Parkinson Spoon and Fork
Search #2
Keywords: Parkinson, grip, gyroscope
Search Results Link: Here
Price : $259.00
Vendor : Amazon
Description :
- GYENNO Spoon for hand tremor
- Steady helps people with eat more easily.
- Steady is designed to counteract tremors and shaky hands that may be related to conditions like Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor.
| Positive Comments | |
|---|---|
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “Love the spoon part. In the mornings my shakes can be real bad,and the spoon with the little lip holds my cheerios in the spoon 99% of the time. The handle takes get use to hold, still working on that. Over all I like it. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5.” | 1. Lip holds food in (Explicit) |
| 2. Enjoyable to use ( Explicit) | |
| 3. Modular (Explicit) | |
| “My 80 year old husband has tremors to both hands. Intensity varies from mild to severe depending upon the day. With this adaptive eating utensil, he can get foods to his mouth without spilling. He found the device easy to operate. The fork was a big plus.’ | 1. Can be used with varying severity of tremors (Explicit) |
| 2. No messes (Explicit) | |
| 3. Ease of use ( Explicit) | |
| “Had an issue with a magnet in the fork, contacted the company. They were very responsive. We got new utensils within 3 weeks. Very happy and works well for my husband.” | 1. Company was responsive to customer inquiries ( Explicit) |
| 2. Counteracts tremors (Latent) | |
| 3. Magnet works well (Explicit) | |
| Negative Comments | |
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “Do not purchase this useless thing. Far, far too complicated and unusable for anyone, much less elderly.” | 1. Not worth the price ( Explicit) |
| 2. Complicated ( Explicit) | |
| 3. Not user-friendly (Explicit) | |
| “The spoon and fork are made of very fragile plastic material. How long will it last? It is very difficult to get used to this condition. Money thrown away.” | 1. Easily breakable (Explicit) |
| 2. Not user friendly ( Explicit) | |
| 3. Not worth amount paid for( Explicit) | |
| “I really need these eating utensils for my tremors, but your many misspellings in your description scares me about how reliable you are as a seller.” | 1. Suspicion of seller (Explicit) |
| 2. Concerns about reliability of product (Latent) | |
| 3. Lack of transparency ( Latent) |
3. XUETAO Rehabilitation Robot Gloves
Search #3
Keywords: gloves to help post stroke
Search Results Link: Here
Selected Products
- Price : $189.00
- Vendor : Amazon
- Description : It has a half cut design features, a wrist extension exerciser can be worn comfortably on wrists and finger, Suitable for finger work habits. Inhibit the fingers of the finger stroke or rheumatism rheumatoid arthritis deformation, prevent the fingers bend spasm or atrophy.
| Positive Comments | |
|---|---|
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “So my Mom has had weakness in her left side for a while. She didn’t think this glove was really going to do anything she hadn’t already been doing. We started out on the auto exercise for 5 minutes a day on her left hand. It’s hard for her to get her left hand to do anything, it doesn’t mind and kind of gets grabby on its own. | 1. The device uses a comfortable amount of pressure to provoke exercise. (explicit) |
| 2. The glove forces the user to extend and retract fingers to promote movement in limbs. (explicit) | |
| After a few days of using this device, Mom found herself reaching for an object with her left hand, just using the power of her mind - you know, like your body should! Every movement she has to do needs to be so mindful, so her brain thinking “I want that object” and sending her left hand, which was closest, to get it is an absolute breakthrough! | 3. The device teaches the user how to “reuse” their hands to grab objects through movement exercises and pressure regulation. (latent) |
| The glove works through air pressure to make your hand open and close. It doesn’t feel weird when it does it, and she really likes that it makes her fingers extend, since that’s also an exercise she doesn’t do often anymore. You can adjust the intensity, the pressure, and even use the other glove on your right hand to send messages to the left on what you would like it to do. | |
| Obviously, your mileage may vary. Everyone works at their own pace and can only do what they can, but I see how this device can help people relearn to use their hand. She’ll never be 100%, but every little bit counts.” | |
| “What I love about this robot glove is how straight forward it is to use. The different modes and intensity level can easily be changed via the control monitor (orange box). Air pressure can be turned off to a particular finger by the white valves on the glove which makes it easy to isolate a particular finger or fingers for training. What I really love the most is the mirror training glove, genius. The mirror glove is worn on the non-training hand. When I clench the mirror glove and press a button it mimics this movement on the robot glove. This is great for trying to retrain your hand and stimulate movement. The glove works by air compression and is a bit on the loud side when the orange box is pumping air. The control box is cordless so can be taken anywhere without having to rely on an outlet. I appreciate the fact that they actually included a AC USB charger and cable.” | 1. The device allows for various levels of intensity. (explicit) |
| 2. The device is portable and can be used anywhere. (explicit) | |
| 3. The glove allows for isolation to focus on finger training. (explicit) | |
| “All other sellers were showing delivery 2+ months later and at higher price. I took a chance here with only 2 review. I am very pleasantly surprised with quick delivery. The product works amazingly well for my brother who suffered a stroke and can’t move left arm/fingers. Even the doctors, nurses and the physical therapists at the hospital are amazed when they see my brother using it while admitted. It’s really helping with his rehabilitation.I am in tech, and am super impressed that someone developed this.” | 1. The device helps provide relief. (latent) |
| 2. Provides help with rehabilitation. (explicit) | |
| 3. The device is portable and can be used in hospital settings. (latent) | |
| Negative Comments | |
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “Video instructions did not show the proper size or placement to put the glove on. After my stroke it leaves your hand unable to put it on, both constricted or paralysis, with your other hand alone. Tried out both.” | 1. The directions should be thorough. (explicit) |
| 2. The device should be accessible for those with handicaps. (latent) | |
| 3. The device should be easy to put on with one hand. (latent) | |
| “It’s a nice product, I guess because I never got to use it. They didn’t describe the sizing correctly and therefore, they size I bought was WAY too big for my son.” | 1. The design should allow for various sizes. (latent) |
| 2. The design must instate the size of hand it is designed for. (explicit) | |
| 3. The design should fit the hands of a child or an adult. (latent) | |
| “Incredible product. If you think about the fact that you’re paying to give someone their hand back, it is absolutely worth it. | 1. Too expensive (explicit) |
| 2. The design is not well made. (latent) | |
| However when you see it, all this is is the pump from a blood pressure cuff hooked to a glove with some tubing. There is absolutely no reason why this costs $200. This product could change the lives of millions if it were priced more reasonably.” | 3. The design should offer more options to the user for the price. (latent) |
4.Neuromodulation Tremor Device Set ** **
Search #4
Keywords: healthcare hand Robot
Search Results Link: Here
- Price : $239
- Vendor : Baldoni Neuromodulation
- Description :
- Effective only for left hand hand-initiated tremors
- Works like a gyroscope to stabilize hand tremor motion
- Helps with eating and writing and Quiet enough to watch TV
- Weighs the same as a weighted glove at 0.65 lb
| Positive Comments | |
|---|---|
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “A family member uses this as therapy for his hands after a stroke. He has used other machines, but has not had the results as he had after using this machine after such a short time. He has more feeling and control in his affected arm and fingers. I wish I had purchased this item sooner. It is easy for him to put on even without the full use of his affected hand. Another plus is that it is not battery operated so we do not spend extra money on purchasing batteries.” | 1. Rapid treatment effect of the machine.(latent) |
| 2. The device is easy to put on. (explicit) | |
| 3. No need to use separate batteries. (explicit) | |
| “I ordered this glove for my dad that had the worst kind of stroke that paralyzed his right side. We have been working with him to wake up his brain, muscles and nerves a little over a month now with no improvement in his hand. We received the glove on Tuesday and by Thursday dad was able to wiggle his fingers. I am a true believer that this glove works! So impressed with this product.” | 1. The guidance according to the measurement instructions still leads the user to purchase the wrong size. (explicit) |
| 2. Can work as introduced in the promotional image. (latent) | |
| 3. The device can offer rehabilitation improvement. (latent) | |
| “So far my mom has been pleased using this product! She understands it’s not meant to “cure the tremors but it definitely does calm them down.” | 1. The point is not to treat tremors, but it does help stabilize the hands of Parkinson’s patients. (explicit) |
| 2. Offers stabilization properties. (latent) | |
| 3. Comfortable to wear for periods of time. (latent) | |
| Negative Comments | |
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “This product would be awesome if the glove stayed on my hand…it addresses hand only and does not offer support for wrist…I have long fingers and a slim hand, ordered large size for my finger length…product worked its way off with every use starting with pinky then thumb…I have left side hemiparesis maybe it’s more useful for hand injuries only…” | 1. Wrong size (explicit) |
| 2. For hands only, no wrist support (explicit) | |
| 3. Only for finger injuries (explicit) | |
| “Size not as advertised, takes a long time, it is too early to tell if it works.When you want the exercise to start, press the play button in the bottom right corner. It took me a while to figure that out since are a little confusing.” | 1. Wrong size (explicit) |
| 2. Hands-on difficulty is relatively high, User needs to slowly practice to adapt. (latent) | |
| 3. You do not know if they can really be treated. (explicit) |
5. Neofect Extender
Search #5
Keywords: rehab glove
Search Results Link: Here
- Price: $57.90
- Vendor: Amazon
- Description: Passive resistance rehabilitation gloves.
Positive Comments
| Positive Comments | |
|---|---|
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “Been looking off & on for something like this for fingers curling. A little tricky to thread all curled fingers in at first but saw results after only a few uses. I can now insert those now straighter fingers without using my good hand to guide them in. Sizing guide was spot on, snug at first that resulted in a perfect “break in” fit. I wish I could leave more than five stars.” | 1. The glove should fit comfortably (explicit) |
| 2. The glove should be adjustable (latent) | |
| 3. Instructions should be clear (latent) | |
| “I got it for my brother, he had a motorcycle accident and was left with spasticity as sequel. He likes the way it fits and is also happy because it allows him to perform more tasks with his right hand.” | 1. The glove should increase hand functionality (explicit) |
| 2. The glove should fit all types of hands (latent) | |
| 3. Should passively operate without supervision (latent) | |
| “Nerve damage in hand after spinal surgery left hand and clenched position helps straightening fingers all the doctors and therapist who saw this glove loved it” | 1. Healthcare workers should be able to easily use/store/maintain it (latent) |
| 2. Should provide relief of ailment (latent) | |
| 3. Should be medical grade (latent) | |
| Negative Comments | |
| Voice of the Customer | Restated Customer Need |
| “Extremely big!! The description says s/m/l but when I received the item the package said one size fits all. And that was more of an accurate description of the item. Didn’t fit my child size hands lol if I knew it was one size fits all I would’ve never bought this item. I did send it back and got my refund” | 1. Glove should work for all ages (explicit) |
| 2. Use instructions and product specifications should be clear (latent) | |
| 3. Should be adjustable (latent) | |
| “It’s important to understand that without proper occupational therapy training and the assistance of a portable stim device, this glove is of little help. You must have structured, professional OT sessions to make this work. Otherwise, it’s just a neoprene glove with a bunch of fancy straps on it.” | 1. Device should be easy to use (explicit) |
| 2. Device should come with everything needed to operate (latent) | |
| 3. Shouldn’t need professional help to operate (latent) | |
| “The glove came apart and straps came lose , it is very cheaply made not good at all! Would not purchase any thing like this anymore on line. It is not worth the money that they charged for it. It is a rip off! Don’t buy!! (O) star rating!” | 1. The device should be made of durable materials (explicit) |
| 2. The device should be made of cheap materials (latent) | |
| 3. The device should communicate clearly exactly what it does (latent) |