Application of Ergonomics and TRIZ to Designing an Auxiliary Device for Putting on and Taking off Shoes

Abstract

As people age, the functions of the body will gradually deteriorate, especially in the knee and hip joints, which will also limit the mobility of the body. If people need to bend over when they put on or take off their shoes, it will be especially difficult for the elderly, as they may even have the possibility of falling and being hurt. This study conducted deep interviews to observe ways that seniors put on and take off their shoes in or-der to discover any inconveniences and to understand the needs of elderly people for the innovative product. Based on the results of the interview experiment and the anthropometric data base, this study conducted a preliminary product design. Then the 39 engineering parameters and contradictory matrix of TRIZ theory were applied to get the innovation principles and to improve the problem of design. This study used SolidWorks drawing software to complete the product 3D drawing of the design results, and finally printed the product model using a 3D printer. The main function of the product is to allow users to put on and take off shoes without having to bend down or bend the knees. Besides that, when the shoes are taken off, the pedometer attached to the shoe sole will transmit data through the RFID and display the accumulated walking steps of the user on the LED panel. Meanwhile, the LED light bar will emit different colors according to the number of steps recorded by the pedometer chip, making the product more interesting and encouraging for older people to plan daily exercise to enhance their health.