FINAL PRODUCT
A
After defining the final design choices, the design is further developed. Below, provides the details of the balance board, and how the prototype is made.
Design
The balance board is a product that already exists. So the challenge remained to make it into something that is not already on the market, and that is useful for the end-user, named Tim.
The balance board consists of three parts: a top part, a middle part, and a bottom part. The top and bottom can be taken off the middle part and interchanged. This was done because the product has to stay interesting for Tim so that he does not lose his interest after a while. Different tops and bottoms were designed so that the difficulty of the product can easily be altered. Different top parts are for example one which can be called standard, it has a flat surface with some texture for grip, another one has a plastic part on top which can be inflated, yet another has a spring between two planks. For the bottom part, there is a basic one which is a solid parabola, there is also a parabola filled with air, a more cone-shaped one, which is even harder to balance and one with a ball underneath it. More variations can be seen in the drawings. The board also has a pair of handles, to make it easy to be carried.
The middle part was added to contain the electronics of the product and to make it easier to switch the top and bottom parts. The parts are connected to the middle with each their own pair of snap fits. As can be seen in the picture. The snap fits are loosened by pressing the buttons opposite from each other, when doing this, the top or bottom part can be lifted off. Another part is simply clicked on by pressing the snap fits of the middle part into the intended holes in the top or bottom part. It does not matter if the users would interchange the top and bottom parts as the connecting mechanism is the same for both. Also, if the user for example desires to use a top as a bottom part, or to use two top parts, this is also possible.
The electronics inside of the middle plate consist of an orientation and a vibration sensor. The orientation sensor measures whether or not the board is in balance, so whether it is horizontal. The vibrations sensor then sends out a vibration when the board is not in balance. The functions can be turned on or off with the buttons on the front of the balance board, as indicated in the drawings.
​
Detailed Pictures
Why it is especially for Tim
​
From research, it became clear that it is easier for children with a mental impairment such as autism to focus on a training or other explanation when the surface that they are standing on is uneven. Besides this, Tim mentioned during one of the co-design sessions that he cannot sit or stand still, the balance board enables him to move, without leaving his place. These two reasons are the reasons why this product is useful for Tim. From the evaluation session, which was during training, it was immediately visible that it was easier for him to focus his attention on the trainer. The different tops and bottoms can prevent him from getting bored with the product. In case this does happen, he could always use a new top or bottom to make the balancing even harder or more fun.
​
Some side advantages of the product besides it being designed especially for Tim is that it can also very easily be used by other kids with similar attention problems or ones that have issues with balancing. This is due to the fact that the difficulty can be adjusted to the kids wishes and capabilities. For kids who find it very hard to keep their balance, there is also a sketch of a top part with braces on it. Besides this, the product can be made more like a game by for example adding a top part with a maze and ball inside, which can also be seen on the sketches, or by adding a counter that keeps track of how long you are in balance. A lot of other options are possible as well, new top and bottom parts can always be designed and added.
Physical prototype
After developing our final concept there had to be a proper final prototype. The purpose of this prototype is to test if it solves the problem for our specific user. And give a good impression of how it works. As mentioned before the parts of the balance board are changeable and the other improvement is the vibrations in the board. Of course, the prototype is not made with the right materials and all the options there are. But it will give a good indication of how it works.
The prototype exists out of three different parts: top, middle and bottom. And is attached with a screw and a butterfly nut. There are different bottom and top parts, but to use the product the same middle part has to be used.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
The purpose of the top part is to stand on it. For this prototype we made two different top parts, the first top part is the standard one; it's made of wood and sandpaper for extra grip, this one is easy to stand on. The other has a balancing pillow on top of the wooden plate that is attached with fishing thread. The pillow will occur more instability and is customizable with an air pump.
The middle part contains the electronics for the vibrations and the handles to lift it. This part is made of 16 mm thick wood and the handles are made of nylon strap and PVC tube. The electronics will be explained later on.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
The bottom part is the main balancing part, for this prototype we decided to make two different bottom parts, the first one is the same as the old prototype but is now able to switch with the other parts. This one can move in four different directions and is made out of wooden ribs. But to make the balancing board even harder there is another part in the shape of a hemisphere made out of solid wood. This part can move in all directions instead of only four and has only a tiny balance point.
Electronic prototype
Electronics
The electronics part for our group had the sole purpose to inform the user when he gets off balance. This was an extra idea after the final testing with the user. In order to make that work, a vibration motor would go off when a certain amount of degrees are reached. Key components are The Arduino board, a gyroscope sensor and a vibration motor.
​
​
Vibrations
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have varying degrees of sensory issues, or may perceive sensory information differently—such as being startled or feeling pain when touched.
Each child with have different sensory needs and different sensitivities to sound and touch, so an individualized approach for each child is recommended.
Vibrating massage has been shown to be especially effective with children on the autism spectrum. Therapy tools have been shown to help children function more independently in the world. Compression vests can also achieve a calming effect and increase body awareness in children with sensory issues (Rollins, 2022).
​
​
​
There are multiple reasons the vibrations are triggered when the board is out of balance instead of the other way around. Firstly, vibrations that are caused off balance will alert the user and give his brain feedback and a sense of correction in order for him to come back in balance. Since the goal of the balance board is to keep our co-designer concentrated while the coach gives instructions for the training, intense vibrations will shift his attention. Besides, we don’t want the vibrations to go off when the user is in balance as that might make the user lose his balance.
Storyboard
Concept video
Rollins, E. (2022). Massage Therapy Has Significant Calming Effects On Children With Autism. Retrieved 8 April 2022, from https://medmassager.com/a/blog/massage-therapy-has-significant-calming-effects-on-children-with-autism