Striving for Inclusivity in Medical PPE. Development of a micro-adjustable head harness

• Author(s): Oliveira, José Pedro ; Trigueiros, Paula
• Date: 2024
• Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/98353
• Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
• Subject(s): Inclusive Design; Personal Protection Equipment; Diversity
• Document Type: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Universidade do Minho

Description

This paper describes the creation of a micro adjustable head harness for medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The product was developed as part of CEiiA’s ventilator helmet project for orthopedic surgeons. For professionals involved in physically demanding, long surgeries, comfort and ergonomics were recognized as major priorities in enhancing the PPE. Using the Double Diamond framework as a project communication and management tool, the initial brief proposed by the company was re evaluated. The harness component of the PPE was rethought since less time had been invested in its development. This undergraduate project, with a duration of 3 months, details the use of design thinking tools to facilitate communication within a transdisciplinary team. Focused on designing the right thing, the project explores potential innovation through the theme of diversity. The outcome was TEIA (Portuguese for “web”), a detachable harness designed for quick adjustment to a diverse set of users. It aims to accommodate diverse hairstyles and cranial asymmetries through its continuous wire closure system and malleable polymer structure.