Toes That Look Like Toes

Abstract

When designing assistive devices for people with disabilities in developing countries, product developers tend to prioritize economic and technical requirements, ignoring aesthetic and cultural issues. This can result in devices that create or reinforce social barriers, creating negative impacts on users' self-esteem and sense of well-being. To understand the social implications of using prosthetic legs for Cambodian children, a pilot research study was conducted in Phnom Penh and surrounding provinces. I used innovative research methods to help children share their perspectives. The objective was to help product designers develop improved assistive devices that not only increase mobility for child prosthesis users but also support the sociocultural integration of these children and their families. A philosophical hermeneutics research approach was used to seek the views of three children. The findings are useful for nongovernmental organizations and product developers that focus on the needs of impoverished children in rural, predominantly Buddhist communities.

Evaluating human-centred design for public health: a case study on developing a healthcare app with refugee communities

“…A semester-long process to design a digital health solution to bridge the gap in refugees’ access to SRH services resulted in five prototypes. Shifra’s founder (RB) then selected two designs to combine and develop further in conjunction with the co-designers to incorporate end users’ values and cultural beliefs [ 27 ]. The Shifra team used a combination of design thinking approaches developed by IDEO, Stanford’s d-School and Mummah et al (2016) [ 10 , 24 ].…”

The Ventricular Assist Device in the Life of the Child: A Phenomenological Pediatric Study

“…Yet, designers need to also prioritize a pediatric perspective for VAD design, recognizing that the design of the medical devices may influence interactions with others and the experiences of children themselves (Høiseth, Keitsch, & Hopperstad, 2014; Hussain, 2011). Reducing the size, weight, and exterior aspects of the device seem like logical next steps to truly make VADs pediatric in scale with the long-term hope of moving in the direction of a fully implantable device that functions with minimal hums, vibrations, and other inorganicities to allow a full and uninterrupted embodiment.…”