The Fidget Shoe aims to help children who are dealing with various mental disorders specifically, giving them a fidget tool and/or distraction to help them cope. There are many different mental health issues, and all have serious impacts on people and make it harder to go about day-to-day life. Sensory processing disorders or ADHD are prevalent diagnoses, whether primary or coexisting with other mental health diagnoses. Both Associations for Children’s Mental Health and MentalHealth.gov provide research that shows that only 40% of students with mental health disorders graduate from high school, compared to the usual 76%. That is usually credited to the classroom environment making it harder to learn compared to other kids. The Fidget Shoe project was designed keeping this in mind. It is a customizable, slip-on sneaker that can change color and has multiple buttons and straps to press, squeeze, pull, and twist while learning.

PROJECT STATEMENT

Kayla Brunner

• Kayla is eight-years-old and goes to a fancy private school on a scholarship. Because of that, she feels like she doesn't fit in among her other rich classmates - especially with her low-quality clothes. She needs a shoe to boost her confidence

• Kayla has ADHD (which means she has trouble sitting still for periods of time and listening) and as a result, is always fidgeting. It's hard for her to listen and sit still. She needs a shoe that allows her to fidget quietly.

• Kayla also has Sensory Processing Disorder (which means she's more sensitive to light, colors, textures, sound, etc.) which makes it hard for her to in school. Also, as a result of her SPD, she is extremely clumsy. She needs a slip-in shoe that is extremely comfortable.

• Kayla is a daredevil that loves to run, climb, and play. She needs a durable, long-lasting shoe for all the adventures she gets into

There are many different types of mental health issues, all making it harder for day-to-day life. Mental health issues can be caused by genetics, stress, harassment or bullying, trauma, substance abuse, and more. Mental Health Issues are serious and real. 1 in 5 adults in America experiences a mental illness, and more than 50% percent of America's population has been diagnosed with various mental disorders. Children also suffer, some arguably worse than adults. Most school truancy comes from students with mental health disorders. In some ways, mental illnesses are worse than cancer. Your brain is against you, telling you lies and you can't help but believe it. With a mental illness, you are fighting against your body and mind. The Fidget Shoe is designed to help children in school deal with mental illnesses and raise awareness of the issue.

Overview of Condition

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DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Precedents

FIDGET TOYS:

The Fidget Shoe will have miniature fidget toys embedded in the sole of the shoe

CROC CHARMES:

The Fidget Shoe will have miniature fidget toys embedded in the sole of the shoe, and the toys can be replaced with new ones - much like Croc Charmes.

TEAR AWAY:

The Fidget Shoe will have velcro fabric that you can rip away and replace, effectively making the shoe able to change color

DESIGN SKETCHES

MORE DESIGN SKETCHES

FINAL SKETCH



SECOND PROTOTYPE

FINAL PROTOTYPES

THIRD PROTOTYPE

Overview

The Fidget Shoe is a slip-in, durable, long-lasting, stylish, color-changing, comfortable shoe that has fidget toys attached to the shoe to play with if you ever feel bored.

Consumer: Young school children - from kindergarten to at least middle school. Specifically children with mental health issues, though not a requirement

Technology: There will be no technology in the shoe, however, you can always easily dismantle and then reassemble The Fidget Shoe, adding tech as you please

Business: This could be a very lucrative market. Shoes are already a decent amount of money, and although fidget toys are cheap, they still stack up more money. Also, young children can replace the fidget toys embedded in the sole with other ones, or some charms that could be sold along with the shoe.

My Next Steps

• Experiment with more prototypes and materials

• Think more about the cost and how to make the shoe more cost-efficient.

• Do more research; such as meeting kids with various mental health issues

• Pursue materials and fabrics to use

TOPIC SUMMERY

Mental Health Issues are serious and real. 1 in 5 adults in America experiences a mental illness, and more than 50% percent of America's population has been diagnosed with various mental disorders. Children also suffer, some arguably worse than adults. Most school truancy comes from students with mental health disorders. The Fidget Shoes are designed to help children in school dealing with mental illnesses

For my project, I wanted to create a shoe that can help kids with these kinds of mental health issues - A Fidget Shoe - and help raise awareness of these mental health issues

RELATIONSHIPS TO FOOTWEAR

Many people know that the wrong pair of shoes can result in misery. Multiple studies have found colors and textures actually can affect your mood, and that is certainly true for children with mental health issues. People with a mental disorder, like Sensory Processing Disorder, for example (which is at least 21% percent of the population), can have trouble trying their shoes, are clumsy, have a hard time paying attention, and more. Footwear is defiantly a big part of this. If shoes and clothing, in general, are very uncomfortable, a child will be so as well.

Also, my shoe doesn't just have to be limited for children with SPD. Lots of people are on the spectrum, have various mental health problems, and have trouble focusing. The Fidget Shoe can also help raise awareness of the issues that everyday people have to burden.

LIFESTYLE

AFFECTS

• Thinks clothing feels to scratchy or itchy
• Significant tiredness
• Low energy
• Problems sleeping
• Don't want to go to school
• Fidgets often
• Feels anxious often
• Feeling hopeless
• Every task feels incredibly hard
• Reacts poorly to sudden movements, touches, loud noises, or bright lights.
• Having sudden and random mood swingsLights seem too bright.

Please note, this is across the board; I tried to have this list cover many mental health issues, not just one. Also, this does not mean all people with mental health issues feel these or feel all of these symptoms. Even if you have only one of these issues, it's still valid!

• Sounds seem too loud.
• Doesn't understand personal space when peers understand it.
• Clumsy and uncoordinated movements.

Here is a list of some everyday issues people with various mental health disorders run into:

• Think soft touches feel too hard.
• Experience food textures make them gag.
• Have poor balance or seem clumsy.
• A constant need to touch people or textures,

even when it's inappropriate to do so.

• Extremely high or low pain tolerance
• React poorly to sudden movements, touches, loud noises, or bright lights.
• Have behavior problems.

CURRENT SOLUTIONS

Fidget shoes! Shoes that can change colors, and that are comfortable, easier to get on, personalized, and stylish. There are already shoes for people (specifically children) with mental health issues that come in muted colors and are simple slip-on shoes for children who can't focus well.

CURRENT SOLUTION ANALYSIS

There are three current problems with the Fidget Shoe, durability, noise, and price. The first issue is durability - not with the shoe itself, but with the fidget toys attached to it. Sooner or later, they might break. A solution I've come up with is this; make every fidget toy I can in the Fidget Shoe removable, so you can replace them and put new and different fidget toys in. That way, you can have a wide variety!

For noise, some fidget toys cause noise and matter no matter how small, every noise can feel loud when a teacher is talking. Because of this, I need to make sure the Fidget Shoe would be as silent as possible.

The final problem is price. A shoe costs a decent amount of money. A fidget toy is much cheaper, but either way, the prices are stacked together. In order to change this, I would need to use cheaper materials, but that would lessen it's lifespan. It's an endless loop

IMAGINED SCENARIO

GOALS:

Imagine you are an elementary schooler with a mental health issue, such as ADHD or Sensory Processing Disorder, forced to sit through hours of teachers talking. Everything around you feels too bright, too loud, and your shoes feel so itchy and uncomfortable. You want some sort of fidget tool and you want to feel comfortable, so you get cool, fidget shoes you can personalize and make sure are perfect for you.

Students are better behaved with less fidgeting and can listen better, which in turn will let them do better on tests. Doing better on tests and succeeding in school will make them feel accomplished. And seeing how they do much better in school, these children won't be dreading going to school anymore, which in turn would reduce the rates of school refusal.

SKETCHES

USE DIAGRAM