【獎項 Prizes】　優選 Distinction

【國家或地區 Country/Region】 India 印度

【公司／團隊 Company/Group】

【設計師姓名 Designer】 Ashique Shaji

【作品介紹 Description】

作為「笨拙無能」的反義詞，Ept帶有「擅長」或「熟練」之意，是一款旨在協助患有膝關節疾病如發炎、無力、關節炎等之老年人，在無需護理人員看顧的情況下也能正常行走、將腿部抬至床上並進行其他日常活動的多功能拐杖。其帶有可調節高度之特性，能適應不同的高度並在不同的事態情形下進行使用，好比將東西拉近或使用掛鉤提起落在地板上的東西。 Ept是一外形和功能兼具的經典範例。Ept手杖讓使用者得以順利進行多項活動，並透過這樣的方式重新點燃了使用者的自尊和尊嚴，同時降低了護理人員的壓力。在該項目的研究過程中，我們發現使用者常常對於在眾人面前取出他們的輔助設備感到羞愧，只因產品本身看起來像殘障人士專用之工具，讓使用者的信心大受打擊。 Ept透過其美學之設計來建立患者的信心，以滿足每位使用者最深切的期望。

Ept, meaning ‘adroit’ or ‘skillful’, an antonym of the word ‘inept’, is a multifunctional walking stick designed to facilitate the elderly suffering from knee ailments such as inflammation, weakness, arthritis, to walk, be able to lift their leg onto the bed & to do other daily activities, eliminating the need for a caregiver. It is height adjustable to cater to different heights & to use in different scenarios like pulling things closer or lifting things from the floor with the hook. Ept is a classic example of form and function. It enables the user to do multiple activities. By doing so, Ept ignites their self-esteem & dignity & releases caregivers from stress. During the research for the project, it was observed that people are ashamed to take out their assistive devices to the public because the product itself looks disabled, this brings down the confidence of the user. Ept builds up the confidence of the patient with its aesthetic design to meet the deepest desire of the user.