Basal Blade

In this project, I worked to develop a new handle for a garden saw to help alleviate some of the pain caused by basal joint arthritis. After several interviews and a some in depth research on the specific points in the hand effected by this form of arthritis, I began to make form sketches to map out some of the potential handle designs.

Going back into my research notes, I was able to narrow down my ideation into 3 distinct categories: avoidance of pressure, brace support, and thumb-less grip. I decided to combine the support of a hand brace with an avoidance of pressure to create a handle that would work for people at all levels of basal arthritis.

From there I created a final set of drawings as well as a mock up of the product. The mockup was used for additional ergonomic testing and helped to shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of the design.

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