Kintec Footlabs: emergent human centred frameworks for the design and manufacture of orthotics

2016年，整个北美的足部矫形器市场价值约为12亿美元。[1]总的来说，足部矫形器在临床上对从足底筋膜炎到下腰痛等各种疾病都有效，但这种临床成功背后的具体机制尚不清楚。根据Root、O‘Rien和Weed开发的框架，传统的临床流程决定了矫形器的特定设计是如何或为什么基于框架的，该框架指出，下肢病变是由于对齐不良的结果。[2]因此，根据Root的说法，矫形器的目标是使用一个或多个拱形支撑、后脚定位或前脚楔形来纠正任何对齐缺陷。患者的舒适性是这一过程中的次要方面，并在一定程度上有助于该矫正装置的依从性。过去10年的两个重大发展现在引起了对Root等人有效性的质疑。接近。一种强调以患者为中心的新设计框架可以极大地降低这些成本，并提高足部矫形术的价值和有效性。KINTEC希望与艾米丽·卡尔大学的两个研究中心--健康设计实验室(HDL)和材料问题(MML)--合作，开发一种新的矫形外科设计框架，其中涉及以人为中心和设计工程的角度。来自高密度脂蛋白的研究人员专门从事以人为中心的设计方法，以应对复杂的健康和医疗挑战，而来自MML的研究人员专门从事设计转移、材料和技术开发。该项目支持各种研究和设计问题，包括：我们如何在矫形器设计中考虑患者的舒适性，以及3D打印如何使矫形器更加定制和舒适？如何改进矫形器装配过程，以更好地支持患者的舒适度和在此过程中的患者决策？首先，本研究将采取探索性访谈和服务设计地图的形式，以获得对KINTEC景观和足部矫形器行业的总体了解，包括现有的材料、设计和目标。下一阶段将包括患者访谈和从完成的问卷答复中审查患者数据，以确定患者的兴趣和对儿科服务的期望。通过将我们对患者经验的研究与足部矫形临床理论相结合，我们将开始协作概念化一种新的设计框架，该框架可以将动态、客观的步态数据直接纳入矫形设计。

In 2016 the foot orthotic market represents an approximate value of $US1.2 billion throughout North America.[1] Broadly speaking, foot orthotics are clinically effective for a variety of conditions from plantar fasciitis to lower back pain yet the specific mechanisms behind this clinical success are elusive. The traditional clinical process that determines how or why a specific design of orthotic is based from a framework developed by Root, O'Rien, and Weed that states lower extremity pathology is a result of poor alignment.[2] It is therefore, according to Root, the objective of an orthotic to correct any alignment defect using one, or a combination of, arch support, hind-foot posting or forefoot wedging. The patient's comfort is a secondary aspect in this process and is addressed insofar as to assist in the compliance of this corrective device. Two significant developments over the past 10 years have now drawn into question the validity of the Root et al. approach. A new design framework that emphasizes a more patient-centered approach could greatly reduce those costs, as well as enhance the value and effectiveness of foot orthotics. Kintec would like to collaborate with two Research Centres at Emily Carr University, the Health Design Lab (HDL) and Material Matters (MML), to develop a new design framework for orthotics, which involves a human-centered and design engineering perspective. Researchers from HDL specialize in human-centred design approaches to address complex health and healthcare challenges, while Researchers from MML specializes in design transfer, material and technology development. The project supports a variety of research and design questions including: how might we consider patient comfort in the design of orthotics, and how might 3d printing enable more customized and comfortable orthotics? How can the process of orthotic fittings be improved to better support patient comfort and patient decision making in the process? Initially this research will take the form of exploratory interviews and service design mapping to gain a general understanding of the landscape of Kintec and the foot orthotic industry, including existing materials, designs and objectives. The next phase will include patient interviews and review of patient data from completed questionnaire responses to identify patient interests, and expectations surrounding pedorthic services. By combining our research into patient experiences with foot orthotic clinical theory, we will start to collaboratively conceptualize a novel design framework that can incorporate dynamic, objective gait data directly into the orthotic design.