Week 12&13 — Refined Prototyping

This week I took what I learned from my earlier crude mockups to develop something closer to what I imagined the physical product to work like. This model has a viewfinder that covers both eyes, and a hinge above the nose bridge to allow the user to adjust to the size of their face (similar to a pair of binoculars).

How It Works

The device has 3 parts total: the viewfinder, the slide reel containing the cataract images, and a blackout placeholder to cover the eye not undergoing surgery. The slide reel and placeholder are removable so the doctor can swap them depending on which eye the patient is getting operated on.

original sketch

There would be a strong magnet in the center to snap the reel in place. Small magnets adjacent to each slide image would help create a haptic sensation similar to a rotary encoder and make it easier to center each image in the viewfinder opening.

I imagine that the slide reel would have a ridged edge so the patient can easily spin from frame to frame. The placement of the exposed edge allows the user to mimic an action similar to using a disposable camera: the device can be held by two fingers on each hand, with one index finger pushing down from the top to change the frame.

(It looks a little silly from the back, but the patient won’t see this view)

I’m very happy with how this interaction turned out, as it is easy for the doctor to swap out the discs and requires less dexterity on behalf of the patient.

Next Steps

I’d like to flesh out a more refined CAD model of this prototype. I also need to consider the take home portion of this concept more thoroughly. I was considering an informational acetate sheet so I could make each image larger, but am leaning more towards a physical object once again. Sheets are easily bent, and can get lost in stacks of mail and other papers once they are brought home. A small object can act as a token of comfort, and can be easily carried in a bag or pocket (or maybe even a keychain?).