About
Work
Resume
Built a Custom Device that Reduces Cutting & Serving Time by 70% for a User with Cerebral Palsy
Assistive Technology
Product Design
3-D Modeling
User Testing
My Role
Human Factors Engineer
Team
2 Human Factors Engineers
3 Mechanical Engineers
Timeline
Spring 2023
Tools
SolidWorks
Figma
Overview
My Team
Tufts Engineers
In my
engineering design class,
we worked with Natalie Fierce to design products that could help her
independently bake a cake
3 Month Timeline
5+ Product Iterations
85% User Satisfaction Rate
Our Client
Natalie Fierce
Natalie is an artist, cook/baker, and
YouTuber with cerebral palsy;
she seeks products that allow her to independently perform tasks
4000+ Youtube Subscribers
600+ Youtube Videos
18+ Million With Cerebral Palsy
Summary
For an
engineering design course,
my team and I created a custom device that allows a cerebral palsy user to
cut and serve a cake independently.
We closely analyzed our client’s needs and constraints, refining our five prototypes with
iterative testing throughout
each project stage.
Project
Goal
_____
Design and create a
custom device
that allows Natalie
to
cut and serve a piece of cake
without assistance
Problem Defining
_____
Natalie faced challenges with traditional knives
due to her cognitive and physical limitations
Misunderstanding in knife function
Difficulty visualizing slice size
Tricky to cut square pieces
Prototypes
_____
Developed multiple iterations with varying materials, testing for
functionality and making design adjustments based on user feedback
Simple crafts materials
Play-Doh, Wood, ABS Plastic
Plastic Mold, ABS Plastic
Final Prototype
_____
Using insights from user testing, we opted for thick ABS
plastic due to its durability and easy CAD integration
Project Outcomes
_____
97.5
%
Final Grade
12
+
User Testers
70
%
Task Reduction Time
Next Project
