Convertible Therapeutic Space
Background:
This project consists on designing a piece of furniture and/or room that incorporates three different types of activities: Entertainment, conversation and physical therapy. The target audience is an elderly couple in their 70s who would like to perform all of these tasks in the comfort of their living room.
Proposal:
I propose a robotic ‘command’ chair that has the ability to bend to seating position and laying position from a simple touch screen which can be accessible through a smart phone or tablet through a customizable app (through BlueTooth connectivity).
The chair also contains wheels located at the bottom which can be controlled through the tablet, phone or on the chair itself. The reason for this is so that the chair can be moved by the elderly couple without the need of any heavy lifting.
The Chair:
Conceptual rendering of the chair showing: a primary actuator underneath the first cushion that contains a pulley mechanism that can actuate the continuum robotic structure. Linear actuators on each side of the base to bring back/pull out the base as the chair is in bent-up mode. The chair also contains small wheels on the telescopic base that allow it to be moved remotely through simple forward/back/rotate movements that can be accessed through the Touch Control or through a smartphone or tablet and BlueTooth connectivity.
Extra cushions for arm-rests, projector screen to allow for online-large screen interaction with physical therapist.. An adjustable lamp component where brightness, position, angle can be adjusted remotely as well.
The entertainment arrangement permits both people to watch television, read and stretch their legs. The position of each chair can be moved (same way an electric wheelchair would) and thanks to the wheels underneath and telescopic base, can be plased in any of the other positions. Both people can read thanks to the attachment of an adjustable (electrically) light by the user’s head.
Total size room approximately 25’ x 18’
The conversation arrangement allows for up to 6 people to sit comfortably if the cushions are used. The cushions can be arranged as pleased and the chairs/benches can be moved to any position automatically without any heavy lifting since chairs contain actuators that lets them bend/lie down to any position as well as position in any position.
Physical Therapy arrangement allows for two beds as well as multiple cushions to be used accordingly. The projector screen can be controlled from the ‘command chair’ controller or a mobile app. There is plenty of space in front of the screen for two people to perform physical therapy, and even an extra person if the help is needed.
Total size room approximately 25’ x 18’