The roll-up communication mat is designed to provide Athena with a portable and easy-to-store way to communicate her basic needs and choices. The flexible mat will feature large, easy-to-press buttons with picture symbols and recorded messages such as “Yes,” “No,” “Food,” “Drink,” and “Help,” along with additional music and ocean sounds. When not in use, the mat can be rolled into a compact cylinder and secured with adjustable straps for convenient transportation and storage. The design aims to combine accessibility, portability, and interactive play while allowing Athena to communicate in different environments.
The high-chair attachment will use two adjustable straps with quick-release buckles secured to the underside of the communication board. The straps will wrap around a compatible high-chair tray and fasten tightly to help prevent the board from sliding or shifting when Athena presses the buttons. The straps will be adjustable to accommodate different tray sizes A nonslip backing can provide additional stability. The attachment must be tested on the intended high chair to confirm that it stays secure and does not interfere with Athena’s movement, the tray latch, or the chair’s safety harness.
The final design for the Shark Tales Interactive Communication Board features a rectangular board with large, easy-to-press buttons, each displaying a word and picture symbol linked to a recorded message. The board will include common communication options such as “Yes,” “No,” “Food,” “Drink,” “Help,” and “All Done,” along with additional buttons for music and ocean sounds. A foam-padded surface and rounded edges are intended to improve comfort and safety during use. The board will have a durable enclosure to protect the electronics, speaker, and battery, as well as removable legs that allow it to be positioned on a table or other suitable surface. The Shark Tales theme is intended to make the board more engaging for Athena. Overall, the final design combines accessibility, portability, and interactive sound feedback to support Athena’s communication and independence.
The removable legs will attach to the underside of the communication board using threaded inserts and screw-in legs. Four reinforced mounting points will be built into the bottom of the enclosure, allowing each leg to be screwed securely into place and removed when the board needs to be stored or transported. Rubber feet on the ends of the legs will help prevent slipping on flat surfaces. This design provides a simple, low-cost attachment method while allowing the board to be used with or without its legs. The connections should be tested for stability and durability before use with Athena.
We chose the final concept design, the tabletop communication board with removable legs, because it provides the best balance of accessibility, safety, portability, and ease of use for Athena. The large, easy-to-press buttons allow her to communicate basic needs and choices through recorded messages, while the padded surface and rounded edges are intended to improve comfort and reduce the risk of injury during use. The removable legs allow the board to be used on a tabletop or another suitable surface, making it adaptable to different activities and environments. The durable enclosure also provides space to protect the electronic components, speaker, and battery. Finally, the Shark Tales theme and additional sounds are intended to make the board more engaging and enjoyable for Athena. Overall, this design was selected because it combines practical functionality with an interactive, child-friendly approach to supporting communication and independence.
A preliminary force analysis was developed to evaluate the effort required to activate the momentary push-button switch on the sensory board. During a slow press, the applied finger force balances the resistance of the internal spring, contact mechanism, and friction. Because the product listing does not specify an operating force, a provisional activation force of 2 N, approximately 0.45 lbf, was assumed for the calculation. This value will be verified by measuring
the activation force over five presses and calculating the average. Testing the assembled board will also help determine whether the button can be comfortably operated by the intended user. Structural strength, maximum displacement, and resistance to excessive loading remain
unverified because material properties, internal dimensions, and load-test results are
unavailable.
A preliminary strength analysis was developed to evaluate the plastic base and removable leg connections on the communication board. The design includes an 18-inch-wide board with interchangeable legs that are 4, 6, and 12 inches long. During use, the legs provide upward forces that balance the board’s weight and any downward force applied to it. With a centered load and symmetric leg placement, each pair of legs supports half of the total load. Each leg length will be evaluated because longer legs create greater bending moments at the connections under the same sideways force. The results will help determine whether the plastic base or leg mounts need reinforcement. Final calculations require the plastic type, base panel thickness, leg dimensions, board weight, and expected loads. Strength and durability remain unverified until these details are confirmed and load testing is completed.
