2024 Galleries
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Galleries // 2014 Spark:Concept // Elle
Elle
Winner - Platinum
Competition: Spark:Concept
Designer: Della Tosin
Design Type: Sport Equipment
Company / Organization / School: Art Center College of Design
Website: http://www.dellatos.in
Team Members: Instructors: Fridolin Beisert, Pascual Wawoe, Douglas Davidson
There are 3 challenges amputee faces in swimming competition: 1. Balance - Amputees find it difficult to swim in streamlined position. Human leg has a specific volume and density which attributes to our balance; the loss of a leg will result in imbalanced buoyancy due to unequal upward water pressure between left and right side of the body. Elle leg provides an adjustable air chamber to control buoyancy and help amputees to maintain their streamlined position in the water. Elle’s frame will be personalized to match the volume of the amputee’s other leg and it is made out of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane, a material that repels water to increase buoyancy. 2. Multifunction - There are 3 phases in competition: launching off, swimming, and flip turning. Each phase requires different energy release profile. Elle leg has a flexed ankle made out of a metal plate to increase energy return, interchangeable to match an individual’s strength, and has an elastic band on the back, which will helps users launch off with reduced energy loss. 3. Comfort - Since the leg will have to move both rapidly and regularly, it is important to ensure comfort by having a tight fit between the stump and the prosthetic. Elle leg comes with a vacuum socket that reduces pain and improves endurance. Currently, today’s swimming prosthetic utilized regular walking prosthetic attached with fin. Elle focuses on swimming. It is 3D printed, adjusted to one’s measurement to create the perfect balance.
