Adaptive Trauma Spinal Support

Individual segment
Exoskeleton

Our Inspiration

Our project was born from a deeply personal inspiration—my grandmother, who has struggled with a hunched-back for years. Watching her suffer due to the lack of an effective spinal support device, especially during emergencies, sparked the idea for our design.

As a team, we wanted to create something that not only addressed this issue but also adapted to the unique shapes of each individual, just as the human spine naturally does.

What We Learned

Throughout the Designathon, we learned the importance of biomimicry in creating practical solutions. By studying the human spine’s ability to bend and adapt, we realized that this flexibility could be applied to spinal support devices.

Our focus became designing a device that could mould around the body for quick and effective application, particularly in trauma settings.

How We Built It

Building the project came with its challenges, but we tackled them head-on:

Limited Time: We had to prototype and test our ideas rapidly while ensuring the design remained functional and user-friendly.
Material Selection: The materials needed to be both malleable and firm enough to provide proper support.
3D Printing: Creating a model that could adjust efficiently to different body shapes required careful iteration and precision.

Through brainstorming, testing, and refining, our team worked closely to overcome these obstacles.

Challenges We Faced

The journey was not without its hurdles:

Time constraints pushed us to prioritize and work quickly while maintaining focus on our goals.
Finding the right materials was a significant challenge, as they needed to balance flexibility with support.
Iterative design and testing took considerable effort, but it allowed us to refine our concept into a functional prototype.

What This Project Meant to Us

Ultimately, our project met its immediate goals and taught us the value of combining creativity with practicality.
It reinforced the importance of looking beyond traditional solutions and inspired us to consider the deeper, personal connections that drive innovation.