A technical report of the design of a knee brace for knee osteoathritis patients in low resource settings that is comfortable and fitting to manage the condition

Abstract

This report details the research and development process undertaken by a four-member design team to address the affordability of knee osteoarthritis braces in rural Ugandan communities. Following initial team building exercises and a comprehensive need finding and screening process, the team identified knee osteoarthritis as a critical issue impacting daily life and mobility. Focusing on affordability as the primary concern, the report outlines brainstorming sessions that led to the selection of a specific design concept for an accessible and low-cost knee brace. The report delves into the prototyping process redesign and more, including material selection, fabrication techniques, and preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis. Ultimately, this report aims to document the team's efforts in developing a potentially transformative solution for individuals living with knee osteoarthritis in resource-constrained settings.