These are some of the many sketches and models I made to explore the form and function of the splint. At first the lab wasn't expecting me to want to make sketch models so I made them out of post-it notes. Eventually I got some craft supplies and silicone tubes and things really took off.
I began with sketches and models using tiny Garrett, so I could explore lots of ideas. During research I observed that Garrett moves his body less when he has sensory stimulation around his trunk. I experimented with a flexible wrap instead of rigid sides to offer him sensory input and calm his body movement. This ended up being the big discovery upon which the design is based, and I incorporated an elastic chest wrap instead of rigid side supports in the prototype to test with Garrett.
For this project I worked through a series of sketch models to try out different concepts. This is when I discovered how much I like making fast prototypes and exploring that way.
Initially I wanted to keep the device out of the pocket, so I focused on designing it so it had to be worn in a very specific way, such as on the pager or stethoscope. The med students I interviewed thought that would be frustrating, so I designed it so it would be portable in many ways, but not a good idea to keep in a pocket. It demands attention because it can easily discharge if it is squeezed or bumped. I also made tons of form study models, but sadly, all the models from this project were lost.
