John A. McCartney
Efficient, Inspired Design
The Heel Lift ReNU
The Heel Lift ReNu is a medical device specializing in accute heel ulcer care for elderly or primarily sedentary patients. The boot was built in conjunction with DM Systems, an Evanston, IL firm speicalizing in the devices field. The device was designed to be resuable while remaining medically viable.
The Problem
DM Systems current boot design (left) is made almost entirely of polyurethane foam, which once medically contaminated ends up in a landfill. Our client asks us to design a more environmentall friendly version of the existing Heel Lift model boot. Our design would have to preform to the same comfort and medicall standards as the preexisitng boot.
Design Evolution and Prototypes
When tested with patients, the original Heel Lift boot was only soiled consistently in one location. To limit the amount of foam padding that had to be replaced, our team decided to compartmentalize the foam into various sections so that if any one part was soiled, the remaining sections could remain thus cutting down the amount of foam discarded. Several prototypes were constructed to find an optimal size and number of pouches that would provide optimal comfort and medical care for the user.
Final Product
The final design, or "Heel Lift ReNu" as we named it, featured nine individual pockets (middle), made in two distinct sizes. We designed the nine compartment sleeve and had it sown by a local seamstress (lower left). The individual foam pieces (right) were inserted into the correct pockets and held in place by a velco seal. Straps were used to safely secure the heel and foot in place to minimize friction on the foot (above left).
The Heel Lift ReNU was my first oppirtunity to work with a commercial client. This project taught me much in the way of client communication and project design.