PenPal
A comfy way to correct posture of a kid with Cerebral Palsy
PenPal is a simple, affordable, and open-source solution designed to correct the neck and back posture of young children up to 7 years old with Cerebral Palsy. The open-source design empowers local fabricators, driving down costs and ensuring accessibility for all socioeconomic groups.
How big is this problem?
3 million children are suffering currently in India
CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. In India, 3 million children are affected by this problem. Nearly 1.5 to 3 of every 1000 live births can be affected with cerebral palsy.
Product Details
Neck Posture Support
From our user study, it was clear that kids's neck support should be prioritised. However, existing braces restrict head movement, causing discomfort. Our solution features a neckband that allows rotational movement and a back strap for the caretaker to secure it to the seat, preventing neck drooping.
Back Posture Support
The posture support is designed to fit various chair sizes. It features adjustable back and front straps for a secure fit, along with a dedicated vertical strap for attaching neck support. Its playful penguin-inspired design is intentionally created to make the support approachable and friendly.
The seat can be attached to a wide range of chair sizes making it ideal for economical home use.
The brochure includes guidelines on suggested materials, manufacturing steps, and usage instructions. It serves as a comprehensive resource for users to comprehend and provide to local fabricators for production.
Proof of concept
A proof on concept was developed for check the viability of the product as well as to get it reviewed from subject professionals.
Various forms for the neck band were tested to find the one that would provide the most flexibility and support.
The whole set was fabricated by a local vehicle seat maker using the materials and tools available to him. This was done in under 1000/- rupees to ensure it remains affordable to most user groups.
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