The document describes a proposed device to help infants with disabilities develop walking patterns earlier. The device consists of a treadmill with an attached visual and audio unit. It is intended for infants ages 12-48 months with conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or Down syndrome. The infant would be held over the treadmill by a parent or therapist and their legs would move as the treadmill moves. This is meant to help strengthen leg muscles in a controlled way. Sessions would last 4-5 minutes up to 6 days a week. The portable design allows it to be used both in clinics and at home.
![Design Review (01/2010): Name: Jonathan O Toole. ID number: 0650935. Introduction: My product is a device to improve development and walking patterns in infants with disabilities Reasoning for my product: ,[object Object],What is the product? The product will be a device to help infants with disabilities walking at an earlier stage of development. The product will not only help them walk faster but more importantly it will make them walk better. The product will be available through two methods, one will be the internet and the other will be through the infant’s physiotherapist. The product is divided into three different parts and products one is the basic treadmill device, the second is the visual and audio unit and finally there is a harness and support that can be added. ,[object Object],Who is this product for? The product will help infants with a disability walking or movement in their cores and legs. There are three main target groups which I focused on for this project they are Cerebal Palsy, Spina Bifida and Down Syndrome. There are three main stakeholders in this project the children that will be using the product, the adults (parents) that will be operating the product and the physiotherapist that can use the product to help the infants outside of direct therapy ,[object Object],Why is this product a valid product? Millions of euros have gone into understanding child and how they develop. Even with all the research and findings very little has been done to help the infants who really need the help and understands they deserve. Child with disabilities should as Cerebal Palsy, Spina Bifida and Down Syndrome need our understanding and help. ,[object Object],How will be product look and how will you use the product? The product will be in the format of a treadmill. The main differences will be that it will be a slow running treadmill with maximum control and the track will be located around the whole product. In most cases a visual unit will also appear on the product which will fold down onto the main unit for ease of transport. The advantages of having the track dominate the product is you can use the entire surface and you can mount the motor within the product. The visual and audio unit will be an add-on to the main treadmill and will simple snap fit onto the product. The product will also use the power and speed of the track to drive the visual display. How you would use the product would be to hold the infant over the track and to lower the infant onto the track. The infant will naturally always try to keep a centre of gravity and will return their leg when the track moves back. If the infants miss steps the operator (parent) will rise up the infant and replace the infant. As the infant builds confidents the operator will lower the infant down therefore the infant will be holding more and more of its own weight. The exercise will last about 4-5 minutes and will be conducted up to 6 days a week. The image below shows where the infant would be held on the product. ,[object Object],47625219710Where the product would be used? The product would be used in two locations either professional in a clinic or personally at home . If the product is used professional in a clinic the product will more than likely have its own space or area. If the product is used personally in the home it’s important that the product is portable and easy to carry. The product is able to change its setup very easily. The visual unit can fold neatly down onto the main treadmill (as you can see in the image) and the harnessing unit will also be collapsible. ,[object Object],When will an infant start using the product and when will the infant use the product? The product will be for infants between the ages of 12-48 months. Once an infant beings using a product they should spend no longer then 8-10 minutes a day and no more then 5-6 days a week.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/designreview01-2010-100202114729-phpapp01/85/Design-Review-01-2010-1-320.jpg)
