Urban mobility and accessibility. Design of a body support object for people with physical impairments: Design for personal urban mobility

Abstract

Urban mobility for disabled people in Córdoba reveals an importance lack of infrastructure in order to make feel more comfortable and safer when they go through the city. The main purpose of this project is to design a body support object which bring a solution to exceed all the physical urban and furniture barriers that disabled people have.
Given the importance of this topic around the world, we considered how we could create a solution to improve their mobility and even recover after surgery that these people have to deal daily.
The present investigation, we analyzed the different difficulties that a person with reduced mobility has. We found that not only the lack of infrastructure and accessibility in urban areas generate difficulties to them but also the oversize of the objects used for mobilization. Regarding this, when asked, people answered that using certain orthopedic objects bring others physical damages to other parts of the body, limiting more their daily activities and having to depend on the help of other person.
After this, we carried out an analysis of existing products in the market, which gave us a guideline on how to deal with the problems posed. Then, we took certain qualities of other products that are introduced to other non-health areas.
Finally, as a result of the research, a proposal was obtained an orthopedic crutches that directly benefits people with a particular physical deficiency, whether temporary or permanent, so that they have the possibility of improving their mobility and even their recovery, and in this way have a better quality of life.