VA Assistive Devices
Tools that let veterans with double-arm loss put in and take out their own dentures and other oral appliances.
Biomedical Engineer & Project Manager
While I was a student at Tulane, I worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on a co-op.
My project served veterans who have lost both arms. Putting in or taking out a denture normally takes two hands, so these veterans depended on someone else for it every day. I designed tools that let them place and remove dentures and other oral appliances on their own.
I modeled the tools in Autodesk Fusion 360, 3D-printed prototypes, and revised them with the veterans who would use them. The two models here are prototypes from that work.
The goal was autonomy: a daily task these veterans could do again without waiting for help.
How each tool was made.
Each tool went through the same loop, adjusted for each veteran's needs.
Understand the Task
Meet with the veteran and the clinical team to see how the denture or appliance goes in and comes out, and what the tool has to do.
3D Modeling
Model the tool parametrically in Autodesk Fusion 360 so dimensions can change quickly between versions.
3D Printing
Print a prototype, choosing a material for the strength or flexibility the part needs.
Test & Revise
Have the veteran try the tool, watch where it fails, and revise until it works for daily use.