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QBELL CARE SYSTEM

The health care system in South Africa has an enormous problem concerning hospital bed communication and management. Hospitals have a system where patients are able to call for assistance by pressing a button. Many of the buttons in use offer functions such as a nurse call, adjusting the bed and changing the television channel.

Patients with reduced motor function (forms of paralysis) however do not have the dexterity necessary to select or press the correct button to call for assistance. Therefore there is a need for a call button designed for them.

The Qbell Care System is a device compatible with existing hospital systems, which assists weaker patients by making it easier to use. QSystems SA, in collaboration with the Product Development Technology Station, produced the device, made it more cost effective than international competitors and also improved functionality in African environments.

It was the brainchild of Heinrich Williams, a quadriplegic, entrepreneur and owner of QSystems SA, who could not use a normal call button and he developed the idea over many years. His company is commercializing the device.

The aim is to help give vulnerable people their independence and security back, while confined to a hospital bed. It is a TPU soft button, ideal for patients without hand function, which can be triggered by multiple body movements.

The system also improves patient care as it records important data. Information such as the response time of nursing staff, which units are over and under staffed and bed occupancy is also captured. An automatic alarm can also be scheduled for patients that need regular assistance.

The Qbell Care System has some unique features. The force required to press the button is low enough to allow those with minimal motor control to easily operate it. The device has an outer surface that does not irritate the user or causes discomfort and it also is water resistant and has no accessible areas (making disinfecting possible). Furthermore, it plugs into the existing hospital infrastructure and the system alerts nursing staff through an in-house developed radio mesh network.

PESTO POT

Producing pesto in large quantities was a challenge for a food company from Cape Town. Existing machines that addressed this need was costly and could only be imported from overseas.

The Product Development Technology Station (PDTS) assisted the client who wanted to produce pesto in bulk. Small scale machines was previously used, but the request was to improve efficiency and capacity. This was done by manufacturing a local alternative of the Pesto Pot.

Research done by the PDTS confirmed that similar machinery was not produced in South Africa and imports were costly. The station then started to design a machine that solved the problem and came up with a concept that suited the client, after which a detailed design of the machine and manufacturing followed.

An extra challenge was to use material, for example certain steel, that can be used without issues in weather conditions close to the coast. The material also needed to be safe and food friendly, as the machine is used in the food production industry. For this purpose the station received special training from an expert in the food industry in order to design and manufacture a suitable Pesto Pot.

The machine consists of four major parts, the blades, pot, lid and tilting wheel, each addressing certain needs.

The pot has three blades, which are stacked over each other forming a 120 degree angle between them, rotating at a constant speed. It can take large quantities and the lid is hinged on the main frame for opening and closing the pot. The tilting wheel helps tilt the pot when pouring out pesto and for cleaning purposes.

USER MANUALS AND
GUIDE BOOKS

Manual for Hospice Kitchen Food Safety Audits.

The purpose of the audit manual and visual graphics for Hospice Kitchen Food Safety Audits was to give anyone (moderately literate or fully literate) tools to perform a review of a hospice. Through this one can determine which aspects are in place and where attention is needed to improve food safety and handling. The manual provides a list of questions where ratings can be applied or for someone with limited literacy a pictorial layout is provided.

The design and development included a manual on hospice food safety.

Infographics displaying the twelve pillars to effective palliative care.

A simplified infographic on the 12 keys (pillars) to effective palliative care (this was used as a separate graphic and also included in the manual at the end of the booklet)

An A4 Hospice Food Safety Audit Manual included a checklist with pictures and graphics, a formal audit report, a visual audit report, and a scale measure to mark the level of standard or outcome (1 – 10).

RUGBY WHEELCHAIR

The development of wheelchair rugby in South Africa has been hindered by high import costs and unavailability of the sports equipment. Therefore many are prevented to play the sport, which is unfortunate as wheelchair rugby allows persons with disability to participate in a competitive sports environment with teammates that may or may not have a disability.

The Product Development Technology Station (PDTS) aimed to empower wheelchair rugby and the development of the sport in the country by developing a low cost solution for the African environment.

Therefore the station developed a proof of concept to determine the viability of the project and to apply for further funding. Once funding was sourced, commercial ready prototypes for three standard sizes were produced. For each of the sizes manufacturing jigs were conceptualised, designed and manufactured.

A major focus of the project was that persons with disability can manufacture the rugby wheelchairs. This was achieved by producing an assistive manufacturing process, jigs and fixtures.

Persons with disability were also trained in the manufacturing of the wheelchairs and a sample production run was manufactured at the PDTS. Occupational therapists assisted in the development of the manufacturing process to ensure that it was appropriate for persons with disability. Design elements were incorporated such as jigs that turn and tilt around the person in the wheelchair and not the person around the jig.