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For this project, we will construct a “squeeze machine” as a therapy device for children with ASD.
Children with Autism or related disorders seek proprioceptive input. A therapist working with the child wanted a play toy that the child could get full-body proprioceptive input (“Squeezing”) through independent play.
Child size, weight, age.
Overall size of space for toy/machine
Colors.
Height.
Durability.
Ease of use.
Independent play.
Collaborative play.
Safe.
Team has idenitified three related technologies that can be purchased. None meet the need exactly.
DDesign concept one is a folding pressure chair, called the “huggaround”. See concept images below.
Second design concept is a compression bed. The child gets in the bed and it wraps around the child. see concept sketches below.
Third concept is shown in sketches below.
SHow a process to select the best concept, e.g. decision matric: https://asq.org/quality-resources/decision-matrix
First engineering analysis considered siziung of the overall concept and meeting size specifications. The image below shows dimensioned model used to compare against the specifications for the design. Based on this review, it can be seen that the proposed design meetings the size specficiations.
The second enghineering analysis considers the loads on the rollers. The primarly loading comes from the weight of the child when going through the toy., Plase ee the see the schematic below. The rollers are treated as simply supported beam and the maximum deflections in each roller are calculated as shown on the document below. Based on this, the maixmum roller deflection os 0.033 inches under expected load conditions (xxx lb child) which is well with in our operating limits.
The team started work on 4/1/2018 and did the majority of the work in the ME shop and at home. The images below document some of the fabrication steps performed by team members.
Use under supervision of parent or therapist;
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