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Vegetable Slicer Designed for Spinal Cord Injury Patients
Designed for ability, built for life.
SlicerGo is a compact, user-friendly slicing tool designed to support people with spinal cord injuries in the kitchen. It features an oversized vertical handle for better grip and leverage, making it easy to press down without straining the hand. An adjustable side arm with a cushioned support pad helps stabilize the user’s forearm, offering added control and comfort during use. With its accessible, adaptive design, SlicerGo empowers users to slice independently and safely.
User Research/User Interview /prototyping/CMF/3D Modeling
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Summer 2024
Duration - 14 weeks
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POSITIONING STATMENT
DESIGN GOALS
The goal is to design a vegetable cutting machine that Spinal Cord Injury patients can operate with one hand, ensuring safety and easy cleaning. This machine will help them be more independent in the kitchen, improve their ability to prepare meals, and enhance their overall quality of life.
USER NEEDS
Spinal cord injury patients struggle with daily tasks like Cutting vegetables due to limited mobility and hand use. Traditional methods often need two hands, which SCI patients typically lack, making it hard for them to clean and wash vegetables fully by themselves.
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C1
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C6
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CATEGORIES OF SPINAL CORD INJURY (SPI)
C6 INJURY
-Affect wrist extension.
-Should be able to bend wrists back.
-Hand holding should be hard.
C7 INJURY
-Elbow extension and some finger extension.
-Most can straighten their arm and have normal movement of their shoulders.
REASONS FOR DISABILITY?
TRAUMATIC INJURY
MOTOR VECHILE
Leading cause of spinal cord injuries, accounting for almost half of new cases each year.
SPORTS AND RECREATION INJURIES
Contact sports, diving accidents, and extreme sports can cause spinal injuries.
NON-TRAUMATIC INJURY
DISEASES
Cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammation of the spinal cord (transverse myelitis).
INFECTIONS
Tuberculosis, syphilis, and certain viral or bacterial infections.
VEGETABLES BENEFITS SCI PATIENTS
DARK LEAFY GREANS
- Rich in fiber, vitamins A, C, K, and folate
-Improve blood circulation and promote wound healing.
FUNGI VAGETABLES
- Rich in fiber, vitamin D, antioxidants, and minerals
-Enhance immune function and reduce inflammation.
CRUCIFEROUS VAGETABLES
-High in fiber, vitamins C, K, and antioxidants
-reduce inflammation and improve digestive function.
LEGUMES AND PODS
-High in fiber, protein, and vitamins -Provide necessary protein and promote digestive sstem function for SCI patients.
EXPLORE THE EXISTING SLICERS
I collected four slicers with different techniques. Click to see detailed product analysis.
WHAT'S THE USER'S NEEDS?
3.
1.Normal tools are too complex.
-Pretty hard for one hand using
-Too many various tools to use
2.Hands are too weak to hold.
-SCI patients always have less control of their hand or whole arm
-Hand will shake and can’t cut
3.Easy to get hurt.
-Because of numb hand, the knife will be more dangerous for using
4.Hard to organize vegetable before cutting
Vegetables like potato & tomato are round and will go away if there’s nothing stablize it
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KEY DESIGN CRITERIA FOR EXCELLENCE.
DESIGN CRITERIA
One-Handed Operation & Ergonomic Design
Large, hand-shape handle for stablizing.
Ease of Cleaning
Removable parts that can be quickly disassembled for cleaning.
Compact and Space-Efficient
A foldable or collapsible design to save space when not in use.
DEVELOPING THE IDEA INTO ACTUAL PRODUCT.
SOLUTION#1
-Bends on the handle to hold the fingers.
-Ergonomic shapes on handle
-Thin box for small space storage
SOLUTION#2 (TO Develop with)
-No holding need for weak hands
-Have mechanism for moving vegetables to cut
-Flexible & Sharp blade for cutting
-Soft bends for keep the arm stable
USER TEST PROTOTYPE
Bands for Stablizing Arm
String to pull the vegetables to the blade to cut
Connection
Handle
Clamp to
stablize the vegetable
Tunnel for
putting
vegetables
Blade change
Arm
handle
Adjustable Stand
HOW TO USE IT?
The vegetables should be put on the tunnel, and a clamp connect with a string will stablize the vegetable. After the arm is in the back handle, the user's finger will be able to reach the string and pull the vegetable inwards and reach the blade. To cut, the user and move the arm up and down as chopping things. And the vegetable pieces will be going down to the bottom, which the user can place a plate there.
TEST WITH THE USER!
Susan & Jullianne
EXISTING PRODUCT FOR PATIENTS
Wooden Cutting Board
-sharp needles on board to stablize the vegetable.
-Really dangerous to use
-Really inconvenient.
WHAT I SHOULD CARE?
Two Arms Stabilization
Two arms for them to stablize when cutting
Horizontal Movement > Vertical
Sliding back and forth is a better idea for the product to work for them.
Finger Flextibility
The previous idea of pulling the string by finger is not working because of limited finger movement.
Blade Safety
Blade safety should be improved even more.
MY NOTES & ANALYSIS
DESIGNING & FUNCTIONING & CMF
USING EASY MATERIALS TO REPRECENT MY PRODUCT
The product mainly has a stablize handle, a vegetable slicer handle, blades, main support body. To slice the vegetables, the user can use the handle to press the vegetable down to the blade and move horizontally back and forth, different blades can be changed to create different slice.
REFERENCE MY CMF FROM SOME EXISTING KITCHERN PRODUCT
START WITH SOME SKETCHES!
DEVELOP FORM AND MECHANISM WITHIN SKETCHES
BUILDING WITH SOLIDWORKS.
Designed for ability, built for life.
SlicerGo Render.4
SlicerGo Render.3
SlicerGo Render.5
SlicerGo Render.4
1/4
CUT THE LIMITS
NOT YOUR VEGGIES.
Exploring SLICERGO through Design
This photo series showcases the SlicerGo in a real kitchen environment, highlighting its compact form, intuitive layout, and easy integration into daily cooking routines. The slicer’s stable base, ergonomic handle, and side arm support are clearly visible, emphasizing both accessibility and safety for one-handed users. The images also display how the tool and its components are stored, assembled, and used — demonstrating the product’s practicality and its user-friendly design for spinal cord injury patients.
· GRIP · PRESS · DONE ·
HOW SLICERGO WORKS?
Exploring Key Product Details and Features
These detailed shots highlight the thoughtful, user-focused features of the SlicerGo. The oversized vertical handle provides a secure grip for users with limited hand strength, while the ergonomic side arm support adds comfort and stability during use. Interchangeable stainless steel blades offer slicing versatility and are easily removable for cleaning. The images also showcase smooth rounded edges, intuitive guiding slots, and one-handed usability, emphasizing both functionality and accessibility in every element of the design.
SLICERGO
Slice with strength. Cook with confidence.
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Designed by Xiyu Bao
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