Dog treat dispenser
For my Engineering Design final project, I worked with a group to create a dog treat dispenser for a paraplegic young man named Ryan. Ryan traveled in a wheelchair, but his low dexterity made it difficult to give treats to his support dog. Ryan expressed that he wanted an accessible dispenser which allowed him to give his dog treats by hand — a very important aspect of their relationship!
My group created a personalized dog treat dispenser to Ryan’s specifications. The dispenser was fitted to his wheelchair and used a button to dispense dog treats onto a tray which he could grab with his limited mobility. The dispenser allowed him to easily feed his dog by hand — enabling him to nurture his relationship with his support dog across many different environments and terrains.
Product research
From these critiques we came up with some engineering requirements that would be necessary to meet the criteria of our client.
Nurture the relationship between client and service dog
Easily accessible from seated position in chain
Easily cleanable
Durable, made of quality materials
Reliable, proper usage
After several prototypes at increasing levels of fidelity, we completed our final prototype.
PVC and Wood.
Downward forced button, dispensing tray at the base, ~50 treat capacity.
Attaches to wheelchair via sliding component, but attachment style is versatile.
Takeaways
Accessibility
This project required us to design for a specific use case — and not necessarily one that would apply to us. Learning to design around the needs and specifications of our client were of the utmost importance. We had to carefully consider things like reach, positioning, and intuitive use.
Understanding the users needs through interviews gave us great insight. It made the design process a lot smoother and prevented any unnecessary revisions.
Team collaboration
Teamwork requires understanding everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. Whether that be CAD or Machining parts, we made sure to take advantage of our strengths, while keeping the group together.
Unlike other group projects, we took a very collaborative approach. Instead of dividing up the work and meeting again at the deadline, we worked together every step of the way. This approach saved us from any last-minute time crunches and made the process much more rewarding.
Iterative prototyping
Creating a prototype, getting feedback from the user, and improving on the prototype was a valuable strategy to practice. Being able to work with low cost materials and rapid manufacturing is a strategy well-implemented in today’s workforce.
Ethical design
We ensured that proper language was used to maintain a level of respect and empathy when working with a differently-abled client.
Recognizing the social responsibility of engineering solutions to help enhance the independence of people with disabilities.