Third Year | Semester 2

PlayAble

I created a personalised guitar aid to enable people with limited hand mobility to play guitar independently, removing the physical barriers that made playing difficult.

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Arthritis can cause pain, stiffness and reduced grip strength; it can make playing guitar uncomfortable or difficult. This can prevent people from continuing an activity they enjoy, despite the positive effects music can have on creativity, social connection and mental wellbeing. I researched existing guitar aids, comparing their design, functionality, adjustability and cost. This highlighted an opportunity to use 3D printing to create a more personalised solution that reduces strain and makes playing more comfortable.

  • Sketch

    This helped visualise the different ways the guitar aid could be used, allowing us to explore how many chords could still be played while keeping the components interchangeable.

  • Prototype

    Multiple prototypes were created to find the best contact point with the guitar, while testing different designs to achieve comfortable use and the clearest possible notes.

  • Testing

    I reached out to nursing homes online and gained consent to test the product with users. This provided valuable feedback on the design, comfort and ease of use, helping us identify areas for improvement.

  • Final

    The final design successfully combined interchangeable components with a comfortable fit, allowing users to play a wider range of chords while still producing clear, good-quality notes.

Final Design

The final design is an interchangeable guitar aid designed to make playing more comfortable and accessible for people with arthritis. The interchangeable keys let users adapt the aid to different needs and grip strength, recognising that every case of arthritis is different. We refined the shape through prototyping, empathetic modelling, and focus group feedback, using ergonomics and functionality to create a solution that reduces strain while letting users keep enjoying an activity that supports creativity, connection, and mental wellbeing.

The final design demonstrates how 3D printing can create a personalised, user-focused product that would be difficult to achieve through traditional manufacturing.