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Products | Concept Product Design

MOVIK: Modular Ankle-Foot Orthotic Concept

Selena Ece Gurdal



  • Selena Ece Gurdal
  • Selena Ece Gurdal
  • Nuremberg, Germany
  • MOVIK is a modular ankle-foot orthotic concept designed especially for muscular dystrophy patients under the age of 20.
    *Movik (Kurdish for "Spine")

    Condition:
    Several different types of Muscular dystrophy, such as Duchenne, Becker, Emory Dreifuss, Limb Girdle dystrophy result in heavily weakened muscles and reduced functionality in the lower body. As inherited disorders, the conditions are most widely seen in males below the age of 25 and usually diagnosed in the early teens. The symptoms manifest during ages with the most dynamic growth and change in the human body, furthermore, varying from the type and patient, the condition can cause loss in muscle mass or swelling of limbs

    Product Problem:
    Families with dystrophy patients struggle to access assistive products/orthotics that fit their patients who have dynamic growth and body changes at a young age. As many 3D scanned products can have longer waiting times and higher costs, many struggle financially to purchase and replace devices repeatedly. Prefabricated, lower cost orthotics do not show the effectiveness as custom orthotics, with ill-fitting braces often causing pain and discomfort.

    Market:
    Ottobock – Agilium Freestep, Aqualine
    Fillauer - Dynamic Walk
    Ossur – AFO Leaf Spring, AFO Dynamic
    Push – Footlifter AFO
    Anatomical Concepts – Abby
    Alimed – Stepsmart, Prefabricated Carbon Fiber KAFO

    Design Proposal:
    The assembled design features a modular spine that holds a calf and a foot cast thermoformed for each user. The spine and bracket pieces holding the casts are a one time purchase, whereas the casts can be reformed/reprinted as the patient gets older or goes through other condition-related body changes. The spine can be elongated and the brackets can be widened to cater for the transformability of the device. The assembled rubber spines are screwed into the calf and foot casts which come with rows of holes. This fixture method allows the spine to be lengthened or shortened, and the casts to be replaced for different body profiles. All parts of the calf component and the foot component are connected together through a hinge mechanism around the ankle. This allows for controlled movement in the area, replicating a more natural gait.
    The rubber components are stacked up via cylindrical polyurethane rods that have strength to hold up the structure and also act as shock absorption, replicating the function of intervertebral discs found in the human spine. The lateral and medial brackets also house 3 stainless steel plates below the sole of the foot cast, strengthening the structure at the area with the highest load.

    Usage:
    The user/family can be taught how to build the device at initial purchase & fitting and can adjust the device by their own in the future.
    The product can be adjusted to be worn below knee or above knee depending on user need, and can be worn with footwear and without.

    Materials & Disassembly:
    The device can be completely disassembled, allowing for worn out components to be simply replaced. This not only eases maintenance, but also increases the lifetime of the product.
    Casts: TFC (Thermo Formable Composite) lined with thermofelt
    Plastic rods: Polyurethane
    Metal rods: stainless steel
    Fixtures: Steel rivets
    Elastic straps: Nylon webbing
    Spine pieces: Rubber
    Brackets: Polypropylene

    Circularity:
    Product life cycle: at the products end of life, the user can bring the product back to the company that would have a donation scheme, in which they would replace parts of the product that is worn out and give it/resell cheaper to a family who can not afford one. The thermoformed casts make is easy to customize the product for multiple different user throughout its life.
    End of life:
    Casts that are returned can be re-thermoformed to fit someone with similar body size & shape. Or can be recycled as they have 1 material component.

  • Selena Ece Gurdal
  • Selena Ece Gurdal
Product description

MOVIK is a modular ankle-foot orthotic concept designed especially for muscular dystrophy patients under the age of 20. *Movik (Kurdish for "Spine") Condition: Several different types of Muscular dystrophy, such as Duchenne, Becker, Emory Dreifuss, Limb Girdle dystrophy result in heavily weakened muscles and reduced functionality in the lower body. As inherited disorders, the conditions are most widely seen in males below the age of 25 and usually diagnosed in the early teens. The symptoms manifest during ages with the most dynamic growth and change in the human body, furthermore, varying from the type and patient, the condition can cause loss in muscle mass or swelling of limbs Product Problem: Families with dystrophy patients struggle to access assistive products/orthotics that fit their patients who have dynamic growth and body changes at a young age. As many 3D scanned products can have longer waiting times and higher costs, many struggle financially to purchase and replace devices repeatedly. Prefabricated, lower cost orthotics do not show the effectiveness as custom orthotics, with ill-fitting braces often causing pain and discomfort. Market: Ottobock – Agilium Freestep, Aqualine Fillauer - Dynamic Walk Ossur – AFO Leaf Spring, AFO Dynamic Push – Footlifter AFO Anatomical Concepts – Abby Alimed – Stepsmart, Prefabricated Carbon Fiber KAFO Design Proposal: The assembled design features a modular spine that holds a calf and a foot cast thermoformed for each user. The spine and bracket pieces holding the casts are a one time purchase, whereas the casts can be reformed/reprinted as the patient gets older or goes through other condition-related body changes. The spine can be elongated and the brackets can be widened to cater for the transformability of the device. The assembled rubber spines are screwed into the calf and foot casts which come with rows of holes. This fixture method allows the spine to be lengthened or shortened, and the casts to be replaced for different body profiles. All parts of the calf component and the foot component are connected together through a hinge mechanism around the ankle. This allows for controlled movement in the area, replicating a more natural gait. The rubber components are stacked up via cylindrical polyurethane rods that have strength to hold up the structure and also act as shock absorption, replicating the function of intervertebral discs found in the human spine. The lateral and medial brackets also house 3 stainless steel plates below the sole of the foot cast, strengthening the structure at the area with the highest load. Usage: The user/family can be taught how to build the device at initial purchase & fitting and can adjust the device by their own in the future. The product can be adjusted to be worn below knee or above knee depending on user need, and can be worn with footwear and without. Materials & Disassembly: The device can be completely disassembled, allowing for worn out components to be simply replaced. This not only eases maintenance, but also increases the lifetime of the product. Casts: TFC (Thermo Formable Composite) lined with thermofelt Plastic rods: Polyurethane Metal rods: stainless steel Fixtures: Steel rivets Elastic straps: Nylon webbing Spine pieces: Rubber Brackets: Polypropylene Circularity: Product life cycle: at the products end of life, the user can bring the product back to the company that would have a donation scheme, in which they would replace parts of the product that is worn out and give it/resell cheaper to a family who can not afford one. The thermoformed casts make is easy to customize the product for multiple different user throughout its life. End of life: Casts that are returned can be re-thermoformed to fit someone with similar body size & shape. Or can be recycled as they have 1 material component.


Product details
Designer / Studio NameSelena Ece Gurdal
Lead designerSelena Ece Gurdal
Location:Nuremberg, Germany
Photography creditsSelena Ece Gurdal
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