Case Study: Swansea Bay University Health Board improves assistive technology design and reduces abandonment with PDR

Swansea Bay University Health Board advances assistive tech with PDR and £47,000 TIDAL funding

PDR collaborated with Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB) to address the significant challenge of premature Assistive Technology (AT) abandonment, where up to 70% of devices are discarded by users. This issue impacts both patient experience and sustainability. The Tidal project, funded by the TIDAL Network+, aimed to improve AT design by better meeting user needs.

PDR developed a solution centered on digital design and 3D printing. They created a concept for a user-friendly interface that allows for the personalization of AT devices and utilized sustainable materials and modular designs to make the products more aesthetically pleasing and adaptable. The project successfully generated a new service concept for co-designed AT, paving the way for PDR and SBUHB to further develop scalable technical capabilities for the wider NHS.

Swansea Bay University Health Board