Overview

Tufts Assistive Technology Hackathon 2022
Winner of Overall Prize

This design project is a device to assist allow one-handed knitting with circular knitting needles. This was a one week design hackathon working in a team of five students. We were tasked with designing a device to help a passionate knitter who lost mobility in her left arm due to a recent stroke.

Design process

We began by investigating videos that our client provided of her attempts to use circular knitting needles. She also shared a video of her successfully using straight knitting needles, allowing us to get an understanding of what types of physical support were necessary for knitting motions. Using these videos and emailing her questions, we identified the following aspects as important to our design:

• Adjustability - the device needed to work on a table or in her lap
• Tight grip - the device had to hold a knitting needle firmly in order for her to make a stitch
• Easy to pass a stitch through - the device must make it easy for a knitting stitch to pass from one needle to the other and onto the circular part
  
• Operable by right hand - The device had to be used easily with the arm and hand.
  

Cardboard proof-of-concept

Prototyping

My team addressed adjustability by allowing the main component to change angles using two hinges and angled teeth.

Two vice grip clamps were used to secure the needle. This allowed for the needle to be secured, while also allowing the needle to be released with minimal force. By using two clamps, the stitches can be moved along the circular knitting needle by releasing the first, moving the stitch, securing the first clamp and releasing the second.

My team sewed a detachable lap pillow in order to allow for more comfortable knitting when not at a table. The lap pillow has a long strap that wraps around the thighs, and a small metal hook to help guide the yarn. When the client wants to knit at a table, she can detach the pillow and rest the board on a table. The rubber bands strung around the base provide friction to prevent the stand from falling over during knitting. We also attached a "front" sign to help orient the user.

Reflections

This rapid design challenged my ability to keep moving forward. I find myself getting stuck in the details of designs, and this project showed me the power of moving fast and appreciate how this method of design generates ideas rapidly. Thinking through all of our client's unique barriers to using circular knitting needles allowed me to practice empathetic design and challenged my ability to think through client-specific design requirements.