Jakael Meadows
Overview
A stationary toothbrush system that lets users brush their teeth hands-free, designed for quadriplegics and anyone else with limited arm mobility.
Daily Living Labs focuses on designing accessible solutions that restore independence for adults with disabilities, spanning the eight core Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): dressing, mobility, communication, transferring, toileting, bathing/grooming, feeding/eating, and continence management.
I followed user research and translated real pain points into a tested, functional design. Interviews and workshops with target users revealed the need for a simpler, arm-free toothbrushing solution — which I iteratively prototyped and validated with target users.
User Testing
The final version was tested at the Coventry Reserve, a special needs facility, with 9 target users.
Key Findings
Participants validated the core concept
Holder attachment wasn't secure
Foot pedal too exerting
Unconventional toothpaste application
Testing Document
Prototyping
The design features a three-pedal system that guides users through the complete tooth-brushing process:
Dispensing toothpaste, activating the AutoBrush, and rinsing with water. The foot-pedal activation is adaptable to alternative controls like buttons or levers depending on user mobility and preferences.
Deliverable #1
Deliverable #2
Deliverable #3
Final Thoughts
Excited to see how Daily Living Labs continues to develop accessible solutions
Hopeful that my prototype contributes to their mission of restoring independence disabled people
Honored to have worked on something this impactful.
My Role | Concept Developer
I was tasked with 3 main deliverables across research, coordination, and design.
Figjam - Documented team progress from each class session in a shared collaborative space
Reports - Wrote weekly status updates and compiled final project findings
Final Deliverable - Developed a functional prototype
Research
User Research
Our class interviewed Zebreda Dunham, an innovator with arthrogryposis who designs her own assistive devices. Her insights into daily challenges taught us the realities of navigating independence with limited mobility and revealed critical gaps in existing assistive solutions.
Literature & Market Analysis
Our team synthesized 23 sources examining ADLs, IADLs, and caregiving across clinical, lived-experience, design, and policy domains.
This comprehensive analysis revealed gaps in existing assistive technology and identified key pain points in daily self-care routines for individuals with limited mobility.
Impact
5
Workshop Sessions Facilitated
with cross-functional teams of concept developers and user researchers.
3
Design Iterations Developed
and refined the stationary toothbrush system through multiple cycles.
10+
Target Users Interviewed
to validate functionality and usability across multiple user testing sessions.
1
Official Design Finalized
and handed over to Daily Living Labs, thus contributing to their company launch.
Daily Living Labs
A Disability Support and Accessibility Company
Designing accessible solutions that restore independence for adults with disabilities
My Role
Concept Developer & UX Designer
Team
· 4 AI Designers
· 6 Concept Developers
· 5 User Researchers
Timeline
Fall 2025
Tools
Figma
Mural