Project Description:

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is an incurable neurological disease that can result in a multitude of different symptoms. Many of the common symptoms include seizures, tremors, poor coordination, and intellectual disability. Patients struggle to communicate with the world around them due to poor hand coordination and vocal abilities. These people have learned to use their feet to type out messages to communicate. Unfortunately, no current devices support the users’ natural foot-typing position. CP patients hunch over homemade cushion solutions to try and alleviate pain to little effect. If they do not have a homemade solution, they typically sit on the floor, creating pain in the lower back and hamstrings in addition to their other symptoms. This problem affects an estimated 800,000 people in the US, with that number growing every year. Overall, this problem represents an attainable market of $123 million. Team Seating Saviors has created the “Chatty Chair” that enables cerebral palsy patients to communicate with their loved ones and the world around them without fear of ruining their posture and triggering painful tremors. The design underwent several rounds of revision from patients, caregivers, and physical therapists. The device’s main features include adjustable back and leg supports, lateral leg supports, a waist strap, and an integrated tablet holder. These features create a device that is easy to use, provides sufficient comfort, and supports the natural foot-typing of users. Each feature was mechanically tested to ensure it met user and industry standards. The product does not need FDA approval since this is not a medical device. As mentioned earlier, no current chairs support the body in a position to comfortably type with their feet, demonstrating that this device has significant value for CP patients. Future developments will focus on the mass production and marketing of the device to patient populations.