Zipping Down
Zipping Down
ZIPSLIDE
ZIPSLIDE
Research
There are existing products intended to assist in zipping clothing, but most require some degree of griping or pinching which I wanted to avoid.
Additionally, I wanted to expand beyond clothing and include the zipping motion in Ziploc slider bags which are meant to be the accessible version of traditional Ziploc bags.
I decided to do an exploration on the natural positioning and movements of the hand that do not involve gripping!
There are existing products intended to assist in zipping clothing, but most require some degree of griping or pinching which I wanted to avoid.
Additionally, I wanted to expand beyond clothing and include the zipping motion in Ziploc slider bags which are meant to be the accessible version of traditional Ziploc bags.
I decided to do an exploration on the natural positioning and movements of the hand that do not involve gripping!
There are existing products intended to assist in zipping clothing, but most require some degree of griping or pinching which I wanted to avoid.
Additionally, I wanted to expand beyond clothing and include the zipping motion in Ziploc slider bags which are meant to be the accessible version of traditional Ziploc bags.
I decided to do an exploration on the natural positioning and movements of the hand that do not involve gripping!
Fawner Button Hook and Zipper Pull
Fawner Button Hook and Zipper Pull
North Coast Zip Grip
North Coast Zip Grip
North Coast Zip Grip
Context
Asssistive Devices help individuals navigate the world and retain their independence. Many of use use them without knowing, like prescription glasses.
About 7% of working-age adults have severe dexterity issues and about 50% of people over 70 struggle with tasks that require manual dexterity.
Low dexterity, in addition to common conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, can create pain and difficulty when ennacting the pinching motion which is required to use zippers.
https://abilitycentral.org/article/dexterity-and-fine-motor-skills-what-causes-dexterity-issues
Context
About 7% of working-age adults have severe dexterity issues and about 50% of people over 70 struggle with tasks that require manual dexterity.
Low dexterity, in addition to common conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, can create pain and difficulty when ennacting the pinching motion which is required to use zippers.
https://abilitycentral.org/article/dexterity-and-fine-motor-skills-what-causes-dexterity-issues
Context
Asssistive Devices help individuals navigate the world and retain their independence. Many of use use them without knowing, like prescription glasses.
About 7% of working-age adults have severe dexterity issues and about 50% of people over 70 struggle with tasks that require manual dexterity.
Low dexterity, in addition to common conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, can create pain and difficulty when ennacting the pinching motion which is required to use zippers.
https://abilitycentral.org/article/dexterity-and-fine-motor-skills-what-causes-dexterity-issues
Development Process
I began with a broad brainstorm thinking about different problems that could be solved with a handheld device. I decided on the current problem due to its potential impact.
I then moved into the prototyping phase and used clay and foamcore to model different form factors of the device. After prototyping, our class had a crit where it was suggested to expand beyond ziploc bags and include zippers on clothing.
After this I moved into Rhino to CAD the design. I used my to-scale sketches to outline the design and then 3D printed the model.
Project Type:
Individual Class Project
Timeline:
2 weeks
Timeline:
2 weeks
Timeline:
2 weeks
An assitive device for zipping clothing and using Ziploc Slider Bags.
The project prompt was to design a tool that can be used with one hand and is 3D printed as one part.
I explored assistive devices in light of a project I did in undergrad. Our project partner had low dexterity and expressed difficulty with the pinching motion and zippers, so I extrapolated a difficulty in using ziploc slider bags as well.
An assitive device for zipping clothing and using Ziploc Slider Bags.
The project prompt was to design a tool that can be used with one hand and is 3D printed as one part.
An assitive device for zipping clothing and using Ziploc Slider Bags.
The project prompt was to design a tool that can be used with one hand and is 3D printed as one part.
I explored assistive devices in light of a project I did in undergrad. Our project partner had low dexterity and expressed difficulty with the pinching motion and zippers, so I extrapolated a difficulty in using ziploc slider bags as well.
Key Skills:
Rhino, 3D printing,
Zipping Ziploc Bag
Zipping Ziploc Bag
Zipping Up
Development Process
I began with a broad brainstorm thinking about different problems that could be solved with a handheld device. I decided on the current problem due to its potential impact.
I then moved into the prototyping phase and used clay and foamcore to model different form factors of the device. After prototyping, our class had a crit where it was suggested to expand beyond ziploc bags and include zippers on clothing.
After this I moved into Rhino to CAD the design. I used my to-scale sketches to outline the design and then 3D printed the model.
Learnings + Future Work
I would like to refine the form factor of the design as it doesn't yet have seameless integration of the functional elements.
Learnings from past projects and experiences are valuable, especially with quick timelines.
Sometimes the simplest solution is the most adequate, like the motion of sliding your hand! To find them, examin what's often overlooked and seen as intrinsic.
Zipping Down
Results
The current iteration of ZipSlide is successful in both zipping clothing and Ziploc slider bags. The flat hand sliding motion is proven to be both intuitive and capable of achieving the task at hand. I only tested on jacket zippers, but would be interested in thinking about pants!
The current iteration of ZipSlide is successful in both zipping clothing and Ziploc slider bags. The flat hand sliding motion is proven to be both intuitive and capable of achieving the task at hand. I only tested on jacket zippers, but would be interested in thinking about pants!
Zipping Ziploc Bag
Zipping Up
Learnings + Future Work
Learnings + Future Work
I would like to refine the form factor of the design as it doesn't yet have seameless integration of the functional elements.
Learnings from past projects and experiences are valuable, especially with quick timelines.
Sometimes the simplest solution is the most adequate, like the motion of sliding your hand! To find them, examin what's often overlooked and seen as intrinsic.
Development Process
I began with a broad brainstorm thinking about different problems that could be solved with a handheld device. I decided on the current problem due to its potential impact.
I then moved into the prototyping phase and used clay and foamcore to model different form factors of the device. After prototyping, our class had a crit where it was suggested to expand beyond ziploc bags and include zippers on clothing.
After this I moved into Rhino to CAD the design. I used my to-scale sketches to outline the design and then 3D printed the model.
Zipping Down
Zipping Down
Zipping Down