Human-centered design at heart of ventilator cart created for young patient

MechSE seniors Joshua Giffin, Ashley Kuhel, and Jessie Nutter and visiting junior Victor Cantet developed a working prototype for a manual cart that allows the user to transport a ventilator over diverse terrain.

Seven-year-old Urbana resident Dominic lives with respiratory issues that require him to use a portable ventilator throughout the day, and one ME 470 (Senior Capstone Design) team was tasked with designing a pushcart that would provide Dominic with independence and mobility.

Requirements for the cart included an adjustable handlebar to accommodate Dominic’s growth, a robust design that would allow the cart to maneuver over terrain such as carpet, tile, grass, and woodchips, and foldable, lightweight limbs to allow for easy storage and transportation. The team also included a custom pocket for Dominic to store his iPad when he walks.

“It was surprising that there aren’t any portable ventilator pushcarts available for patients like Dominic,” said Kuhel, who led the team’s organization and documentation and managed their timeline throughout the project.

The team’s process, which was heavily influenced by human-centered design, allowed them opportunities to collaborate directly with Dominic and his family, including his mother, Aurea. “She was incredibly patient and supportive of her son and made time for our team whenever we needed it,” Kuhel said.

“Aurea is such an amazing person,” added Cantet, who led the 3D modeling and simulations for the cart. “She was so supportive and enthusiastic throughout the whole process.”

The human-centered design process is characterized by empathic iteration in collaboration with end-users and stakeholders. “[Dominic’s family] welcomed our team into their home, where we first got to understand Dominic’s background, needs, respiratory condition, and physical limitations,” Kuhel said. “Aurea and Dominic were incredibly helpful throughout the design, building, and testing phases.”

“I have never had the opportunity to work on a project that would have as much of an impact on someone’s life,” said Cantet, who is interested in a career in renewable energy. However, the open-ended project format posed new challenges for the team.

“We were clear on the user’s requirements, but unlike in past projects, there was no set of technical requirements,” Kuhel said. “We were allowed to do anything, which was amazing but also made it hard to reduce to a single final design,” Cantet added.

Kuhel plans to travel Europe after graduation before starting work as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. “Throughout the semester, my teammates were incredibly supportive,” she said. “I particularly liked how the group praised one another for good work and celebrated small victories.”

“[The students] did an amazing job, taking notes of what we needed as a family and making sure those parts came through at the end of the project,” Aurea said. “The team always kept me in the loop on changes and ideas they had. It was an amazing experience.”