Strategic Design Framework for Personalized Assistive Products

Design Tools for Systemic Orthosis Co-creation

Abstract

Assistive Technology (AT) orthoses pose socio-technical challenges, with high abandonment rates linked to poor aesthetics and conventional manufacturing limits. For users with motor impairment, specialized 3D scanning is often hindered by the critical technical barrier of maintaining limb position, restricting access to personalized design benefits. This study proposes a Strategic Design Framework centered on virtual limb repositioning, an intangible design artefact, to overcome this limitation. Showcased in a case study of a male teenager with spastic Cerebral Palsy, the methodology establishes an interdisciplinary-based approach where designer and occupational therapist collaboratively validate the limb’s final functional pose using Blender software. This collaborative process, aligned with co-design principles, reconfigures the AT development process to prioritize user agency and aesthetic personalization, demonstrating a viable proposal for systemic intervention for AT provision, advancing sociotechnical innovation through the strategic alignment of clinical expertise and design tools.