Sometimes wagons are used to carry stuff in or out of the hospital. Often this means that luggage and other items are placed into a wagon for transport. Rollie Pollie was designed to help with a range of tasks and lend a free hand.
While working on the prototype it occurred to us that the clip that holds the IV pole in place could be rotated and securely locked into place. This adaptation was not initially part of the design. However, after considering the risks of "Scope Creep" with the benefits of enhanced functionality, we included this feature. While this decision did slightly increase the total number of the parts needed to produce Rollie Pollie this trade-off allows Rollie Pollie to safely accommodate additional medical equipment and personal items. While this simple re-configuration may seem like a minor innovation, it provides a greater range of utility in the medical environment and reduces the effort needed to transport patients or navigate a hospital visit.
After incorporating the pivot and locking mechanism we successfully tested the feature with a typical carry-on rolling suitcase. This was an ideal item because it provided a good approximation for equipment cases on which patients with chronic conditions depend. It also proved that this feature could accommodate personal travel cases for children or adults.
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