Regieorgaan SIA annually awards the RAAK award for the best practice-oriented research. Six projects were nominated for this edition, including a research project on occupational therapy and DIY technology. This research led by Ramon Daniels, lecturer in Supportive Technology in Care at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, maps the opportunities of Do-It-Yourself technology such as 3D printing for customising aids.
The RAAK award is an award through which Regieorgaan SIA raises the profile of research carried out by universities of applied sciences. It presents the award annually to the best practice-oriented research. Project leaders could apply their project for the RAAK Award 2022 from 16 June to 12 July. The entries were judged by a jury on relevance for education and practice, the degree of knock-on effect, as well as the innovative nature of the research. The award ceremony will take place on 17 November 2022 during the SIA congress.
Nominations
From the healthcare sector, the 'Egotherapy and DIY technology' project led by Zuyd University of Applied Sciences project leader Ramon Daniëls has a chance of winning the RAAK award. Other nominations are:
- Circular business operations (project leader Rachel Kuijlenburg, De Haagse Hogeschool)
- Cyber resilience: a municipal offensive to prevent cybercrime victimisation (project leader Remco Spithoven, Saxion University of Applied Sciences)
- Green-blue solutions - opportunities and risks: hydraulic and environmental functioning of green-blue solutions for climate adaptation (project leader Thomas Klomp, Hanzehogeschool Groningen)
- KONKRETER (project leader Ivo Vrooijink, Saxion University of Applied Sciences)
- Windows of the future (project leader Zeger Vroon, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences)
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy focuses on promoting or restoring self-reliance. Among other things, patients learn how to perform an activity differently. Or how an aid can help them perform activities independently. Occupational therapists, as part of rehabilitation treatment teams, therefore advise on aids to support daily activities. DIY technologies such as 3D printing make it possible to design, make and customise aids yourself. As a result, these technologies can support the development of custom-made products.
Egotherapy and DIY technology project should answer several questions in this field:
- What is the process from idea to commissioning?
- Which competences do occupational therapists need, which parts can they do themselves and which parts require collaboration with and/or support from an expert in 3D printing?
- How can 3D printing be integrated into the rehabilitation process? And what medical, legal, financial and ethical aspects are involved?
- What materials and printing techniques are available, and what possibilities are there for 3D design of devices?
The central project question is: 'As occupational therapists, how do we make DIY technology, such as 3D printing, an integral part of our practice, and in what ways do we collaborate with 3D printing experts to create custom-made aids with our clients?'
Two-year project
This is a two-year project. The team focuses on developing a process description aimed at the use of 3D printing in rehabilitation care, in collaboration with Adelante, Libra and Sevagram. This process description describes the collaboration with 3D experts. Occupational therapists are testing this process description. The team is also working on a toolbox to support the process. This includes a material selection guide and manual for both 3D modelling, testing and printing.
The team intends to share the knowledge and experience it gains through this project via articles and a community. For example, the team is making examples of 3D-printed assistive devices available via the database www.hulpmiddelentips.nl. The team is also developing a teaching module for undergraduate Occupational Therapy students.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source photo: Pixabay / lppicture
