Project Brief

Enteral feeding.


“An enteral feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot obtain nutrition by swallowing. The state of being fed by a feeding tube is called enteral feeding or tube feeding. Placement may be temporary for the treatment of acute conditions or lifelong in the case of chronic disabilities. Many patients treated using a feeding tube lack the ability to survive on their own without such technology.”
www.nutriciaclinical.co.nz

Enterial feeding is part of everyday life for people around the globe. Yet the technology available for allowing people to live an active and unencumbered life seems woefully inadequate.
The back packs and pouched for carrying around the equipment and supplies necessary for tube feeding lack the sort of design considerations necessary for trouble-free everyday use (see appendix for preliminary examples).


Outline

This project will mainly focus on the design of system for transporting the equipment necessary for tube feeding.
The target market will primarily be children with special needs aged 5 to 16.

The main focus areas will be
· Transport – the ability to be mobile and unhindered by the system.

· Ease of use – access to the necessary controls and equipment.

· Ergonomics – comfortable for the users.

· Aesthetics – visually pleasing and socially acceptable.

· Manufacturing – able to be mass-produced at an affordable cost.



Research

To achieve a design well suited to the end user research and observation will be necessary.
To achieve this I have made contact with “Life Boys After School Education”. This allows me direct access to collaborate with qualified staff workers, and parents who have direct experience with enteral tube feeding.
I will be able to observe and record children using the devices in context. This will greatly impact the design and development of the final product.