1. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Local Community Project
Design For Social Entrepreneurship
Rhode Island School of Design
Kathleen O’Donnell

2. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Introduction to the Community:
• Over 2 Million Americans live with limb loss today.
• Each year, approximately 185,000 amputations are performed in the United
States.
• Vascular disease accounts for 82% of all amputations and of these, 97% are
lower limb amputations.
Local Groups I am working with:
• Central Massachusetts Limb Loss Support Group
• Braintree Rehab Support Group
• Foundry Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy
• (Hopefully) Next Step Prosthetics and Orthotics

3. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Research so far:
- Support Group Meetings
- Interview with physical therapist
- Online review of prior art

4. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Example Forum Questions:
Subject: Best Knee for Knee Disartic? Rheo, Plie, C-Leg, or stan-
dard EBS 3R60?

5. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Project Goal:
To create an online resource for amputees around the country
that compiles user feedback regarding various prosthetic de-
vices. Data will be user input, and will allow users to also rate
practitioners involved in the amputation process: surgeons,
physical therapists, and prosthetists.

6. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Otto Bock C-Leg
Company: Otto Bock
Company Description: C-Leg technology incorporates sensor feedback and
microprocessor control, which allow the knee to adjust to your unique
gait and provide you with secure, reliable walking.
Overall Rating:
Stability Rating:
Uneven ground performance:
Activity level:
30% of users thought it felt too heavy.
10% of users thought it felt too sti
5 Star Reviews 3 Star Reviews 1 Star Reviews
John Says: (John is online now. Click to chat with John )
“I love the C-leg! It gives me a much greater sense of stability and I fall less often. I
am no longer afraid to walk over uneven surfaces on the golf course because I
know the microprocessor in the C-leg will automatically correct and catch me if I
get into an unstable position.”

7. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Additional Ideas:
- Would like to include diagrams of how different prosthetics fit together (for
example, if you are an above-knee amputee, you will need a liner, a socket, a
knee joint, a pylon, an ankle joint, and a foot). The goal here would be to find
a way to simplify this process for new amputees.
- Possibility of including the option to upload videos or pictures to show the
prosthetic in use. Other ways to increase the value of user input?
- Looking at alternate ways of funding (through ads, possibly) rather than
having members pay a fee, but open to suggestions.
- Trying to include more ways that this site could be tailored to the amputee
community. (Links to other sites? Discounts on ACA memberships?)
-Still looking into alternatives for names.

8. The Collective Mile
Experience and feedback to help each other “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes”
Thank you!
Any Questions?