User:Medelen8/ENES100/BioVest Design

Problem Statement
To design a device that would be able to measure Shiloh's vitals. To do this we will use the previous groups design and requirements along with our new requirements for the "vest" itself. In this cycle, we found the criteria for the material the device would be made out of. This will enable us to design the look of the device that will fit for both form and function.

By the way, there is another design made by possible competitors which can be found here (Scroll down to Kernel)--> http://www.wired.com/design/2013/11/four-world-changing-products-dreamed-up-by-todays-best-product-designers/

Requirements for each element or component derived from system level goals and requirements
We were first looking for cloth materials that can be used for our final design using the following requirements:
 * Waterproof
 * Lightweight (5 lbs or less)
 * Comfortable to touch
 * Cannot shrink
 * Easy to wear
 * Thermal capacity (able to produce heat)
 * Washable

The materials we wanted to compare were cotton, wool, and vinyl to see if they can meet the requirements. We had found a website listed on this page --> http://www.mvstylenaturals.com/natural-fabric.php under the Natural column, are certain types of materials that are ranked for certain characteristics. We noticed that cotton met most of the requirements, then we thought of polyester and looked at its properties:
 * Durable
 * Light Weight
 * Feels Dry to Touch
 * High melting Point of - 250°Celsius
 * Resistant to Dyes
 * Stain Resistant
 * Doesn't Stretch nor Shrink
 * Wrinkle Resistant
 * Retains Heat
 * Easy to Launder

Alternatives in design
There were four design concepts we had considered for the bio-vest. In order to select one we had to consider the three critical places where the sensors will be placed. The respiratory sensor should be near the waist, the pulse sensor has to be near the wrist or the neck, and temperature sensor should around the armpits.

Concept 1: Vest
This concept is designed in a way that it can be worn inside or outside the shirt, it's easy to wear with a zip. The only place to take the reading of the pulse would be by the collar of the vest. This was the original design from the previous group which we used to base our other ideas off of. This design, while good in theory did not live up to expectations. Besides being too far away from the body to provide an accurate temperature reading. This is also true for the other two sensors, but to a lesser degree. With this in mind we came up with several new designs to ensure more accurate readings.

Concept 2: Shirt
The second concept was created based on one of the requirements: Comfortability. The pulse sensor will be sewn in the cuffs of the shirt to take the reading at the wrist. This design was mostly targeted toward the elderly. In this design, it was important to note our target audience. Since this design has a more relaxed fit, it would be better suited as a medical device that can provide accurate (to ±2%) readings of the vitals quickly.

Concept 3: Waist Band and Watch
The third concept split the divides the design into two pieces to focus on the essential parts more than the whole body. Although it might not get an accurate result of the temperature rate but it will be a good idea for the respiratory rate. And by using the Watch we can get the pulse. Both of these devices already exist so we would just be combining them to suit our projects needs.

Concept 4: Under Armor Shirt
We focused more on this concept because it was able to attach closer to the body producing better results than the shirt. This design was targeted more toward the youth consumers for the aesthetic quality of the design.

The initial design
Temperature Sensor: Should be placed near or under the arm

Pulse Sensor: Near the collar or the on the wrist

Respiratory Sensor: Should be placed on top of the Abdomen

Experimental prototypes and testing conducted during design
Not Applicable because we were focusing on finding the right type of clothing that can be worn by anyone.

Appropriate optimization in the presence of constraints
As mentioned above, the group established a set of requirements for each design. As the design process continued, the group noticed that several designs met the requirements better than the original design. Once the group had picked out the best two designs from the pool, the shirt and Under Armour, the group weighed both against each other in a matrix:

From the above results it appears that the Under Armour design better meets the requirements. However, it is important to note that both comfortability and stain resistance are relative. This is because not everyone finds the same type of clothing comfortable and that while polyester is stain resistant, the final device will not be pure polyester and as such can be stained by human error.

With this in mind, the group decided the best course of action would be one where the two best designs are both equally represented. This led us to our final design which for now is nicknamed the Under Shirt.

Iteration until convergence
Through out the project the group considered many design ideas and from several decision matrixes, was able to narrow it down to two possible designs. Once these two designs were decided upon, the group then sought to pick one. Unable to do so, the group decided to combine the best of the two ideas to create one final design.

One of the design Matrixes:

The final design
There were two designs that we wanted to choose for specific reasons, we decided to go with Concepts 2 and 4. The shirt is better suitable for the elderly since it is flexible as well as comfortable. The Under Armour Shirt appeals the youth more than the elderly because of the constricted feeling and not as flexible. Because we can only have one prototype, we decided to merge both concepts together in order to make one final unique design. Our final idea will be a loose and comfortable polyester shirt but there will be a different cloth material around the vital points, and where the sensors will be sewn in. This final design called Under Shirt can appeal to anybody which can be seen below:

As seen in the above image, the shaded areas is where the Under Armour material will be used to increase the sensors closeness to the body. This will ensure that the sensors provide accurate readings. The unshaded areas is basic polyester shirt with a relaxed fit. This will ensure that the device will be comfortable and easy to wear. The circles are possible areas for the pulse sensors, it is possible to have them in two separate areas with this design, but it is also possible to have multiple. The same goes for the temperature sensor which will be placed in the shaded armpit area. It is possible to have multiple of these as well. Finally the respiratory sensor will be place in the belt marked out by the shaded strip. In the final design, all these sensors will be sewn into the fabric to prevent them from getting damaged and to keep them from becoming loose.

Technical and scientific knowledge
There was minimal knowledge used in this project cycle, but we had to decide which type of clothing is the most comfortable. After doing some research we found that polyester was the best type of material.

Creativity, problem solving, and group decision-making
During this project cycle the group created many ideas that were each weighed by a set of factors.
 * Comfortable
 * Machine Washable
 * Flexible
 * Stain Resistant
 * Non-intrusive
 * Water Proof
 * Pulse Accuracy
 * Temperature Accuracy
 * Respiratory Accuracy

From this, the group picked the best of the designs. Finally settling upon the shirt and Under Armour designs. These designs both had features that the group wanted to have in the final device. However; only one design could be chosen so the group decided to compare the two designs by their intended market. While it was decided that the device would be best suited for the medical market, the thought occurred that why couldn't the device be made up of more than one design? From this thought, the group decided to combine the two selected designs to create one final design that featured the best of both.

Prior work in the field, standardization and reuse of designs (including reverse engineering and redesign)
The knowledge of where the vitals are located and the best places to find the readings of the sensors has to be known.

Modeling and/or Simulation
This did not apply to our group. This project cycle focused primarily on designing the appearance and make up of the device given the constraints.

Performance, life cycle cost and value
While not as important this project cycle, it is important to note that one of the groups goals is to keep the cost of the final device under $30. In terms of performance, the sensors are reliable and provide less that 1% error. This will insure a high level of performance in the final device but at the time of this project cycle, it is not important.

Aesthetics and human factors
In this project cycle, aesthetics was a major concern. The function of the device was important, but equally important was the look of the device. A major point of interest was making sure that the device material was both comfortable and met our requirements. This is because it will be worn as a shirt/under armor and as such should feel good to worn. Also at the end of this cycle we decided to go with two separate designs. One would be aimed at the elderly.The other would be aimed for use by athletes.

Implementation, verification, test and environmental sustainability
In this project cycle we basically focused on coming up with a final design that can be moved on to the next stage where it is tested with the sensors include in the design.

Maintainability, reliability, and safety
We didn't create nor worked with an actual prototype, however according to our intended design the consumers have to take care of the product just like actual clothes therefore it won't be ripped nor stained.

Robustness, evolution, product improvement and retirement
There are no plans in improving the design, unless improve it's aesthetic quality can be an option.