There are also numerous biomechanical factors that need to be considered. The fundamental assumption of this method is that most of these supporting features can be acquired from conventional design techniques, whereas the user interfaces must be customized for each individual. Consequently we are attempting to develop a representation for design abstraction and associated reconfiguration mechanisms that may be used for the development of other configurable and extensible devices. The development of this representation involves the use of graphical computer models and interface devices to support the development of virtual mechanisms as well as facilitating the analysis of user tasks and user abilities. Background Assistive devices need not be complex for them to be useful in tasks of daily living.
Simple designs are often more reliable, have a lower cost, and are more readily accepted.
However, the major disadvantages of these devices are their inability to be readily adapted, their long manufacturing time and their high cost. Rapid Prototyping of Rehabilitation Aids Development Cycle Effective design of rehabilitation devices necessitates the quantitative assessment and feedback of the disabled person's performance as well as a method for quickly designing and prototyping assistive devices based on performance goals. The research into the virtual prototyping aspects of this project is being conducted using a Silicon Graphics workstation with a Spaceball 3D input device. These components allow us to interactively control 3D graphical objects with simultaneous six degrees of freedom. The different degrees of freedom of the virtual prototype device can also be controlled with keyboard inputs.