Child mobility assisting device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Children, especially those with conditions hindering strength and motor development, face challenges in achieving independent mobility and environmental exploration due to reduced 'tummy time' resulting from campaigns aimed at preventing SIDS, leading to delayed motor milestones and conditions like torticollis and plagiocephaly.
Innovation Solution
A child mobility assisting device with a body support surface and transportation conveyances that allow infants and children to practice crawling while reducing friction and providing safety features like arresting surfaces, designed to fit the curvature of a child's body, enabling independent mobility and environmental exploration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Back to Sleep campaign is implemented to prevent SIDS, then infant safety is improved, but motor milestone development is delayed due to reduced tummy time
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the infant's body support into distinct zones (head support, torso support, leg support) allowing independent optimization of each area for both safety and motor development. The segmented wheeled base separates mobility functions from support functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device acts as an intermediary between the infant and the ground surface, providing a controlled interface that enables tummy time while maintaining safety. The wheeled base serves as an intermediary that reduces friction without direct ground contact by the infant.
2Productivity
If traditional crawling practice is encouraged for motor development, then motor skills improve, but risk of injury from friction and falls increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheeled base acts as an intermediary between the device and ground surface, eliminating direct friction contact. The arresting surfaces serve as intermediary safety features that prevent falls without requiring direct intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates beforehand cushioning through padded support surfaces and arresting surfaces positioned to prevent falls before they occur. The safety features are built-in proactively rather than reactively.
3Manufacturing precision
If a device is designed to support infant body curvature for comfort, then positioning accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs curvature in the support surfaces to match the infant's body contours, particularly in the head support and torso support areas. This curved geometry provides precise positioning without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device supports children in developing crawling skills and motor coordination, offering independent mobility and exploration benefits while minimizing the risk of injury from friction and falls, thus addressing the need for enhanced motor development and environmental interaction.
Implementation Method 1
Each transportation conveyance may support the body above a ground surface on a terminal surface while reducing the friction between the body and the ground surface
Implementation Method 2
The arresting surface may be positioned between the terminal surface of a wheel and the body support surface of the body so that if a transportation conveyance dips below another transportation conveyance, the arresting surface may then contact the ground surface and arrest the movement of the device
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a child mobility assisting device may include a body having a body support surface which may be formed by an upper torso supporting arm, a lower torso supporting arm, a central depression, a right wing, and a left wing. One or more transportation conveyances may be coupled to the body opposite the body support surface. Each transportation conveyance may support the body above a ground surface on a terminal surface while reducing the friction between the body and the ground surface. An arresting brake may also be coupled to the body opposite the body support surface. All or portions of the arresting brake may be positioned between the terminal surface of a wheel and the body support surface of the body so that if a transportation conveyance dips below another transportation conveyance, the arresting brake may then contact the ground surface and arrest the movement of the device.