Handheld Portable Bidet for client with Charcot Marie Tooth Disease

As of September 2020, 150,000 individuals of all ages have been diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth disease which is the most common form of peripheral neuropathy. Charcot Marie Tooth Disease also known as CMT, targets the sensory and motor peripheral nerves leading to minimal or excessive pain in the legs, feet, arms, and hands that limit the mobility and function of those extremities. Therefore, those that are diagnosed with CMT disease require the use of assistive technology to aid them in activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, and toileting. Taking this information into consideration, the purpose of our project is to construct an assistive device for an 11-year-old girl with CMT disease to cleanse herself after a bowel movement in a private or public setting. Our end-user has attempted to use commercial products such as a wand to hold the bathroom tissue and apply pressure to wipe the area, but the length of the device was too large to be easily manipulated by the user. The technological tool we are proposing is a handheld portable bidet that is specifically modified to meet the needs of our user who has extremely minimal hand function. Our device must have a diameter of about 2 inches, a total length of 10 inches, and weigh approximately 2 pounds when water is in use. Additionally, the outlet of water should be produced by a spray nozzle positioned on the center of the housing component and a push button placed directly under that serves as an activation button for the water pump. The water outlet must spray water at least 2.5 feet in the vertical direction to provide an estimate of the water pressure. This device will allow our end user to regain and maintain independence in a bathroom setting.