Purpose: Digital fabrication, like 3D printing, is a new opportunity for rehabilitation professionals to produce customized assistive devices. It allows for empowerment and collaboration in device procurement, but practical implementations are scarcely described. We describe the workflow, discuss feasibility and propose directions for future work.
Methods: We showcase a process of co-manufacturing a custom spoon handle together with two people with cerebral palsy. Our digital manufacturing process was centered around videoconferencing to remotely control the processes from design to final 3D printing. Device functionality and satisfaction were assessed using standard clinical questionnaires: the Individual Priority Problem Assessment Questionnaire (IPPA) and the Quebec User Satisfaction Assessment with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0).
Results: IPPA was instrumental in assessing user needs and device effectiveness. QUEST revealed where to focus future design efforts.
Conclusion: Involving people with disabilities in co-creation of assistive devices opens for new opportunities for healthcare providers that should be explored in depth using the described methodology. There may also be therapeutic benefits and we envisage specific actions to take in order to make it clinically viable.
Keywords: 3D-printing; Cerebral palsy; assessment; assistive technology; co-design; rehabilitation.
Best practices for co-creation of assistive devices, cost and benefits should be investigated and documented further.Standard questionnaires are useful for measuring effectiveness and satisfaction of co-created devices as well as for guiding design efforts.Co-creation may be a valuable element in therapeutic interventions as an opportunity to unfold creativity.