Week 11 — prototyping

Without access to the shop, I spent this week developing some crude mockups for potential forms for my cataract procedure simulator (emphasis on crude). I am drawn to the idea of having a two-part device: a high quality viewfinder that uses a disposable lens insert. This allows the patient to have a highly immersive experience in the clinic and then take home the lenses with them so they can experience them again in an informal setting.

Prototype 1: Slider box

This is a simple box with a hole cut out for a lens on one side and a small hole to let in light on the other. A strip of film showcases the different stages of the surgery, and the user holds the box up to one eye with one hand and uses the other to pull down on the strip.

Ergonomics
The box was easy enough to use, but the flat plane did not conform well to the face and let in light from my peripheral vision. An effective viewer would block out all light except for what’s shown through the lens. Since the viewer requires both hands, patient must close one eye.

Prototype 1.5 : Monocle Reel

This mockup serves a similar purpose to the previous, but uses a round viewfinder to place against the eye while the other hand rotates a disc with the different stages.

Ergonomics
The monocle fit more comfortable against my eye than the box prototype, but it was awkward to use since my opposite hand had to cover my face to hold it in place. It’s less necessary to close the second eye because one hand is covering it.

One interesting thing to note is how the distance between the hole and the eye affects vision. While it may seem obvious, the farther the hole is from the eye, the smaller your field of vision. This could be an important consideration while determining the dimensions of the viewer.

Prototype 2: Interchangeable Viewers

A double viewer would be able to block vision in one eye so the patient does not have to close or cover one eye. The discs are interchangeable so the doctor can swap them out based on which eye the patient will be getting operated on.

Ergonomics
This prototype was by far the easiest to hold and use. The viewers fit more comfortably against my face and were easy to hold up with two fingers while spinning the reel with the opposite hand. Of course, this mockup is modeled after my own face proportions and should have some adjustable aspect to fit a variety of patients.

After using the viewfinder in the clinic, the idea is that the patient could take home the reel with them to use it on their own time or show their friends and family. It can be used by holding it directly against the eye, or projecting the image on a wall with a flashlight.

I’m also considering make the viewer into a pair of glasses so it sits hands-free on the face. For fellow germaphobes like myself, however, I can imagine that the less contact this shared device makes with your head, the more comfortable the patient would feel.