When finished with use, Mary can fold the bars back up and snap them into place using the pair of storage
clips. The clip rod is folded down by releasing the hasp. When in storage, all components of the DressyBars
lie flat against the door to minimize the amount of space the device takes up when not in use. The DressyBars in the storage position are shown in Figure 12.
Figure 12: DressyBars in the storage position
The use of this device eliminates the need for fine motor control, actively bending the arms at the wrists or
elbows, actively raising the arms above 90°, or exerting excessive strength or force. The process of dressing
herself also grants Elsa a higher degree of independence and confidence as she gains life skills and increases
her autonomy.
BARS
The pair of bars on the DressyBars is the main component which assists Elsa with the process of putting
on a shirt. The two bars extend outward from the board at shoulder width apart (12 inches) in order to
conveniently position the arm holes for dressing, as observed in user testing (Appendix G: User Testing
Summary). The bars are 5/8 inch in diameter. We wanted the bars to be thin so Elsa would have plenty
of room in the arm holes, even with the bars inserted. The bars are each 18 inches in length. The length
of Elsa’s arms are approximately 15 inches, which means that this length rod ensures Elsa has plenty of
clearance between her and the door in order to avoid the possibility of her bumping against the door during
use. They are attached to the board at their base by a hinge. The hinges allow the bars to fold up against the
door for easy storage. The bars are shown below in Figure 13.
Figure 13: The bars
The bars are built so they rest at about a 15° incline from the horizontal. User testing (Appendix G: User
Testing Summary) showed that a slight incline in the bars is optimal to face th