Vīnea is an accessible workstation, designed for outdoor use.
It promotes social and diverse working environments.
It is a modular unit which can be freely assembled with other units to form larger, social workspaces. Each unit allows for adaptability to cater to different users’ preferences.
It is a democratic product which aims to engage wheelchair users in social, outdoor work, while not discriminating against any individual: the product is not exclusive to users with disabilities.
Overall, Vīnea is simple and efficient, intuitive to interact with, while ensuring safety, comfort and reliability for any user.
Methodology
The methodology followed in this Master's thesis project is a hybrid between the experience from:
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the Polytechnic University of Turin,
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the Polytechnic University of Milan
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and the famous "Metodo Bruno Munari".
Environment research
Social Farm
(case study reference)
What?
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rehabilitate
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reintroduce
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create therapeutic environments
Who?
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people with disabilities
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recent immigrants
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recovering drug addicts
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prison releases...
Why?
The aim is “for the individual to reappropriate their role within society from a professional standpoint”.
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Become competent and independent in agricultural contexts.
User research
User pool narrowed down to wheelchair users.
User interviews revealed:
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advantages/disadvantages of using a wheelchair,
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emotional aspects,
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differences in physical conditions and behaviours.
Problem setting
There is need of a product to help wheelchair users work independently in an agricultural environment, generating satisfaction for themselves and ultimately producing revenue.
NRP Chart
Needs:
About the user.
"The user needs/wants..."
Requirements:
How the product responds
General product information
Performance:
Final product characteristics
Quantitative data
The objective of the chart is to neatly understand
how the product should appear based on the the information gathered during the preliminary research.
Concept
An adaptable, outdoor workstation, specifically designed for wheelchair users.
Six Requirements
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Social inclusivity
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Adaptability
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Independence granting
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Transportability
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Suitable for outdoor use
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Comfort and Safety
Lifting Tech
In order to be adaptable to all wheelchair users (as well as individuals standing, or on chairs) a hand crank spindle unit was installed.
KETTERER 3070
Bevel gear with spindle unit
ERGOSWISS
SM Lifting column
Storage
The volume of the modular unit can be reduced thanks to the hand crank and two hinged flaps on the sides.
Multiple compressed units of the product can be packed together for more convenient storage.
Transport
The product can be easily transported by one person. The perceived weight of the tilted unit is less than 11kg.
The product can travel on grass, gravel and dirt thanks to pneumatic casters and vibration dampening technology.
Material selection
The work surface material was selected with case study research, database research (GRANTA CES) and through finite element analysis (Abaqus).
The most adequate material considering the environment, stresses and component geometry is: SMC.
Designed as my Master's Thesis Project
Supervisor: Prof. Giuseppe Andreoni
at Politecnico di Milano, 2021
What next?
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