Bridging the Gap: How a New Attachable Grip Can Tackle Representation Disparities in the Field of Dentistry
Tools:
Solidworks; Rapid Prototyping; Competitive Analysis; Patent Research; Literature Reviews; Project Management
Solidworks; Rapid Prototyping; Competitive Analysis; Patent Research; Literature Reviews; Project Management
The standard explorer tool that is used today was designed soley with men in mind. Female dentists have higher rates of chronic pain and earlier retiring rates due to this pain. Our goal is to create an explorer tool designed for everyone, so no one is forced to deal with pain for simply doing their job.
Why is This Necessary?
Early-Stage Sketches of Explorer Redesigns
Early-Stage Sketches of Explorer Redesigns
Early-Stage Sketches of Explorer Redesigns
Low-fidelity prototype of adjustable handles to accomodate a variety of hand sizes.
The standard explorer tool that is used today was designed soley with men in mind. Female dentists have higher rates of chronic pain and earlier retiring rates due to this pain. Our goal is to create an explorer tool designed for everyone, so no one is forced to deal with pain for simply doing their job.
Literature Reviews & Competitive Analysis
This project started one year before I joined the lab. They had not yet pinpointed what tool they wanted to redesign. In order to familiarize myself with the team’s mission and the problems that dentists were facing, the new team members and I conducted literature reviews and and competitive analysis on potential products. After reviewing articles and the team’s previous interviews, we all created presentations with prospective innovations and solutions to chronic pain. I researched tinnitus, and here is the presentation my subgroup made.
After our subgroups presented, we discussed the feasibility of these solutions, as well as taking into account the competitive analysis that we conducted. We decided that it would make the most sense for us to redesign a handpiece, like the explorer tool. We each conducted a competitive analysis for the explorer tool in particular and created some sketches of ergonomic hand pieces to brainstorm before we went on to building low-fidelity prototype.
Low-Fidelity Prototypes
As I had more time to think, my low-fidelity prototypes went beyond the idea of the sketches. My prototypes include adjustable handle size, removable grips and end-pieces, as well as dynamic silicon handles and a built-in grip. We also conducted user interviews, where I got to speak with dentists and dental assistants about the pain that they experience while using the explorer tool. I incorporated their feedback into my low-fidelity prototypes.
After making these prototypes, we decided to switch gears into designing an attachable grip to the explorer rather than redesigning the explorer itself. This way, it can be attached to more handpieces, can be distributed more widely, and does not have to undergo the same scrutiny as a new medical device would.
Assembly of Low-Fidelity Prototype with Attachable Grips
Mid-Fidelity Prototypes
In Spring 2025, we’ve focused on iterating through mid-fidelity prototypes. We’ve used SOLIDWORKS to model grips and divided into three subteams: angular shapes, bulbous shapes, and finger grooves. These categories were chosen based on research that was conducted during my semester abroad. The goal was to explore these categories and find what features work best in order to ultimately converge into one design. My team, angular shapes, wasn’t so angular—we ended up experimenting a lot more with texture than anything else.
For our third iteration, we started to incorporate the idea of finger grooves into our design. To allow for easy rotation and dual-ended use, we created two divots on either end of the grip. This allows for a tighter pinch grip while still offering support to the thumb, index, and middle fingers. It also allows for two other grip styles: a looser tripod grip at the bulbous point and a digital pronate grip. The indents provide a comfortable place for the digital pronate grip, and the curvature gives the thumb a comfortable place to rest on the bottom to support small and precise movements.
For our fourth iteration, we only slightly adjusted our previous model (contrary to what the rest of our mid-fidelity iteration process had looked like!). We expanded the top finger groove and shortened the thumb groove, as well as deciding to continue with two ribbed textured sections and one honeycombed section. This design supports 360º rotatability, flipp-ability to support dual-ended explorers, and three hand positions.
Presenting our Research at the NEC HFES 2025 Student Conference
For our next steps, we are going to conduct materials research as well as expert reviews on our mid-fidelity prototypes. At the same time, we will be partnering with Professor Sameer Sonkusale’s SmartThreads Laboratory to explore and measure different levels of pressure that are exerted in our grip models and use the information to inform our high-fidelity prototypes. Our high-fidelity models will be printed in Professor Markus Neimitz’s lab, which will allow us to 3D print in non-plastic materials.
Low-fidelity prototype of adjustable handles to accomodate a variety of hand sizes.
Mid-Fidelity Prototype. Finger Grooves Adjusted Lower and Fillets Increased Along Vertical Grooves
Next Steps…
Evolution of Mid-Fidelity Prototypes (time follows left to right)
Why is This Necessary?
The standard explorer tool that is used today was designed soley with men in mind. Female dentists have higher rates of chronic pain and earlier retiring rates due to this pain. Our goal is to create an explorer tool designed for everyone, so no one is forced to deal with pain for simply doing their job.
The standard explorer tool that is used today was designed soley with men in mind. Female dentists have higher rates of chronic pain and earlier retiring rates due to this pain. Our goal is to create an explorer tool designed for everyone, so no one is forced to deal with pain for simply doing their job.
Early-Stage Sketches of Explorer Redesigns
Literature Reviews & Competitive Analysis
This project started one year before I joined the lab. They had not yet pinpointed what tool they wanted to redesign. In order to familiarize myself with the team’s mission and the problems that dentists were facing, the new team members and I conducted literature reviews and and competitive analysis on potential products. After reviewing articles and the team’s previous interviews, we all created presentations with prospective innovations and solutions to chronic pain. I researched tinnitus, and here is the presentation my subgroup made.
After our subgroups presented, we discussed the feasibility of these solutions, as well as taking into account the competitive analysis that we conducted. We decided that it would make the most sense for us to redesign a handpiece, like the explorer tool. We each conducted a competitive analysis for the explorer tool in particular and created some sketches of ergonomic hand pieces to brainstorm before we went on to building low-fidelity prototype.
Low-fidelity prototype of adjustable handles to accomodate a variety of hand sizes.
Assembly of Low-Fidelity Prototype with Attachable Grips
For our next steps, we are going to conduct materials research as well as expert reviews on our mid-fidelity prototypes. At the same time, we will be partnering with Professor Sameer Sonkusale’s SmartThreads Laboratory to explore and measure different levels of pressure that are exerted in our grip models and use the information to inform our high-fidelity prototypes. Our high-fidelity models will be printed in Professor Markus Neimitz’s lab, which will allow us to 3D print in non-plastic materials.
Presenting our Research at the NEC HFES 2025 Student Conference
Low-Fidelity Prototypes
As I had more time to think, my low-fidelity prototypes went beyond the idea of the sketches. My prototypes include adjustable handle size, removable grips and end-pieces, as well as dynamic silicon handles and a built-in grip. We also conducted user interviews, where I got to speak with dentists and dental assistants about the pain that they experience while using the explorer tool. I incorporated their feedback into my low-fidelity prototypes.
After making these prototypes, we decided to switch gears into designing an attachable grip to the explorer rather than redesigning the explorer itself. This way, it can be attached to more handpieces, can be distributed more widely, and does not have to undergo the same scrutiny as a new medical device would.
Assembly of Low-Fidelity Prototype with Attachable Grips
Mid-Fidelity Prototypes
In Spring 2025, we’ve focused on iterating through mid-fidelity prototypes. We’ve used SOLIDWORKS to model grips and divided into three subteams: angular shapes, bulbous shapes, and finger grooves. These categories were chosen based on research that was conducted during my semester abroad. The goal was to explore these categories and find what features work best in order to ultimately converge into one design. My team, angular shapes, wasn’t so angular—we ended up experimenting a lot more with texture than anything else.
For our third iteration, we started to incorporate the idea of finger grooves into our design. To allow for easy rotation and dual-ended use, we created two divots on either end of the grip. This allows for a tighter pinch grip while still offering support to the thumb, index, and middle fingers. It also allows for two other grip styles: a looser tripod grip at the bulbous point and a digital pronate grip. The indents provide a comfortable place for the digital pronate grip, and the curvature gives the thumb a comfortable place to rest on the bottom to support small and precise movements.
For our fourth iteration, we only slightly adjusted our previous model (contrary to what the rest of our mid-fidelity iteration process had looked like!). We expanded the top finger groove and shortened the thumb groove, as well as deciding to continue with two ribbed textured sections and one honeycombed section. This design supports 360º rotatability, flipp-ability to support dual-ended explorers, and three hand positions.
Mid-Fidelity Prototype. Finger Grooves Adjusted Lower and Fillets Increased Along Vertical Grooves
Mid-Fidelity Prototype. Finger Grooves Adjusted Lower and Fillets Increased Along Vertical Grooves
Mid-Fidelity Prototype. Finger Grooves Adjusted Lower and Fillets Increased Along Vertical Grooves
Presenting our Research at the NEC HFES 2025 Student Conference
Next Steps…
For our next steps, we are going to conduct materials research as well as expert reviews on our mid-fidelity prototypes. At the same time, we will be partnering with Professor Sameer Sonkusale’s SmartThreads Laboratory to explore and measure different levels of pressure that are exerted in our grip models and use the information to inform our high-fidelity prototypes. Our high-fidelity models will be printed in Professor Markus Neimitz’s lab, which will allow us to 3D print in non-plastic materials.
Evolution of Mid-Fidelity Prototypes (time follows left to right)