| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 創意生活設計系 === 104 === According to UN-DESA Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD), the disabilities around the world reach over 500 million, roughly accounting for 10% of the total population of the world. In some developed countries, nearly 20% of the total populations are citizens with diverse disabilities. Given the impact of disabilities on the families, it seems that almost 50% of the citizens will be affected. In Taiwan, citizens with spinal cord injuries have reached over 23,000, with 1000 to 1200 more each year and its proneness to young adults aged 20 to 29.
Some young adults think wheelchairs demonstrate their disabilities, and thus refuse to use the assistive device. In fact, using assistive devices does not mean one’s disability, and such aids enable an individual to become more independent, without relying on others in all aspects and causing inconvenience. In addition to the emphasis on functions, current design of assistive devices focuses more on why people avoid using assistive devices. Design elements to improve such conditions are thus included to increase the usage willingness and to lower the burden and impact on the family as well as the caretaker.
As modern manufacturing technologies for assistive devices keep innovating, users obviously do not just seek for functional needs, the appearance of related devices has become increasingly important. Therefore, the current study extracted six humor design techniques from previous research, including (1) displacement and indirect representation, (1) false reasoning and representation by the opposite, (3) condensation and juxtaposition, (4) multiple use and double meaning, (5) exaggeration and repetition, and (6) behavior and action as well as expression and gesture. Expert interview was also adopted for evaluation indexes of wheelchair appearance. The preference order of wheelchair appearance among wheelchair users from questionnaire survey and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was as follows: (1) comfort in the sitting position, (2) lighter material, (3) durable material, (4) easy maneuver while moving, (5) easily foldable, (6) concise style, (7) optional kits, (8) built-in LED, (9) user-friendly interface, and (10) special surface finish. It is hoped that the humor elements integrated in the design strategy and suggestion of wheelchair appearance serve as reference for manufacturers to innovate the appearances of wheelchairs and to break through conventional appearance and positioning of wheelchairs.
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