The Collective Mile

Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Local Community ProjectDesign For Social Entrepreneurship

Rhode Island School of DesignKathleen O’Donnell

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Introduction to the Community:• Over 2 Million Americans live with limb loss today.• Each year, approximately 185,000 amputations are performed in the United

States.• Vascular disease accounts for 82% of all amputations and of these, 97% are

lower limb amputations.

Local Groups I am working with:• Central Massachusetts Limb Loss Support Group• Braintree Rehab Support Group• Foundry Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy• (Hopefully) Next Step Prosthetics and Orthotics

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Research so far: - Support Group Meetings - Interview with physical therapist - Online review of prior art

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Example Forum Questions:

Subject: Best Knee for Knee Disartic? Rheo, Plie, C-Leg, or stan-dard EBS 3R60?

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Project Goal:To create an online resource for amputees around the country that compiles user feedback regarding various prosthetic de-vices. Data will be user input, and will allow users to also rate practitioners involved in the amputation process: surgeons, physical therapists, and prosthetists.

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Otto Bock C-LegCompany: Otto BockCompany Description: C-Leg technology incorporates sensor feedback and microprocessor control, which allow the knee to adjust to your unique gait and provide you with secure, reliable walking.

Overall Rating: Stability Rating:Uneven ground performance:Activity level:

30% of users thought it felt too heavy.10% of users thought it felt too sti�

5 Star Reviews 3 Star Reviews 1 Star Reviews

John Says: (John is online now. Click to chat with John )

“I love the C-leg! It gives me a much greater sense of stability and I fall less often. I am no longer afraid to walk over uneven surfaces on the golf course because I know the microprocessor in the C-leg will automatically correct and catch me if I get into an unstable position.”

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Additional Ideas: - Would like to include diagrams of how different prosthetics fit together (for example, if you are an above-knee amputee, you will need a liner, a socket, a knee joint, a pylon, an ankle joint, and a foot). The goal here would be to find a way to simplify this process for new amputees.

- Possibility of including the option to upload videos or pictures to show the prosthetic in use. Other ways to increase the value of user input?

- Looking at alternate ways of funding (through ads, possibly) rather than having members pay a fee, but open to suggestions.

- Trying to include more ways that this site could be tailored to the amputee community. (Links to other sites? Discounts on ACA memberships?)

-Still looking into alternatives for names.

The Collective MileExperience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”

Thank you!

Any Questions?