SHIP model: redesign the assistive walker for children cerebral palsy with the concept of useability, safety, and efficiency

Abstract

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a diagnostic term commonly used to describe problems in CP children characterized by body movements and postures that make walking activities difficult. This device is very useful for them to maintain a safe walking pattern. Gait performance analysis walker for CP children must be considered well. Many internal and external factors are involved or forgotten in the redesign decision. We study the need for assistive devices for children CP because our goal is how to apply the redesign through the SHIP model to walker planning in accordance with universal design principles. Data collection in the SHIP model was carried out by semi-structured interviews. A total of 18 participants were involved, including 6 children with cerebral palsy, aged between 12 and 13 years, 6 parents of CP children, 2 caregivers, 2 academics and 2 practitioners. Gait analysis to measure the walking ability for children CP uses a walker and measured at the end of a 1-week training session. The results of the SHIP model obtained several improvements to the initial walker design associated with the redesign of the walker, according to the needs of useability, safety, and efficiency. This redesign of the walker for CP children can increase in speed in the walking in the anterior position is 14.3% and the posterior position is 25%. This shows the importance of interaction between the stakeholders involved, but also provides evidence that the walker needs of CP children may differ from one another because they are at different stages of development and different roles in their environment.