The "Anti-tilt glasses" are spectacles designed so that the user can't bump his/her glasses wry to something. The glasses automatically reposition themselve after the bump so it's almost impossible that they get tilted. The glasses are easy to reproduce, easy to adabt and can be made with easily accessible tools and materials.

The glasses are designed for people in wheelchairs that suffer spasms and that easily get their glasses tilted when bumping against their head support or during heavy spasms.

Note that these glasses can be used for anyone that suffers from tilted glasses that they can't put right, whether in a wheelchair or not.

The glasses exist of 3 main parts, which are also shown in the pictures: 1. The Spectacles 2. The Mask 3. The Elastic. In this instructable we describe how each of these parts can be made and assembled into the finished "Anti-tilt glasses".

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Anti-tilt glasses was created at Ghent University - Campus Kortrijk,
for the lesson Desigh For Everyone. The case was to design a pair of glasses for a person suffering spasms who constantly bumps his glasses against his head support. They constantly got skewed so the user even stopped wearing his glasses after a while which is totally not recommended by the eye specialist.

Step 1: Tools & Components

This is a list of the materials and tools we used to make the "Anti-tilt glasses". Feel free to experiment with other materials and techniques to improve the glasses. A product can always be improved. This is the cocktail that worked for us. We'll try to explain why we chose our techniques and materials.

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TOOLS

Stanley knife
Hairdryer
Lasercutter
Plier
Iron wire
Sanding paper (grain 360)
Sanding paper (grain 100)
Scissors
Lighter
Universal glue
Nipper

MATERIAL

Acetate 4mm thickness (approximately 170mm x 80mm) PICTURE

You could also use plexi with the same kind of thickness but it's more brittle. Also ABS can be used but it won't last as long. Acetate is the material commonly used in spectacle frames.

Plastic mask PICTURE

Try to find this exact mask in the picture (check supplier link), it's one of the cheapest most low budget PVC masks available on the market.

Anti-slip elastic 400mm length PICTURE

We tried different tipes of elastics and these where the only ones that worked really well.

Vinyl sticker 350mm x 80mm PICTURE

Choose the color you'd like for the mask.

Nail app. diameter 1.5mm, app. length 30mm
Looming c-clip PICTURE
Eva foam thickness 5mm, size 100mm x 50mm
Eva foam thickness 1.5mm, size 50mm x 50mm
Orthodontic elastic 7.4mm PICTURE

SUPPLIERS

Plastic mask: site
Acetate: site
Vinyl sticker: site
Looming c-clip: widely available in supermarkets, toy stores
Eva foam: available in almost every hobby shop
Orthodontic elastic: Go to a orthodontist and he'll provide you with some
Vinyl sticker: Available in plastic centers and online
Lasercutter: These can be used at fablabs, open workspaces

Step 2: Cut the Mask

In this step we will cut the mask to the proper pattern. The pattern is designed so that it gives just the right support for the user. You can experiment with which pattern you like the most and which sits the most comfortable.

MATERIAL

Mask
Printed pattern

TOOLS

Sanding paper (grain 100)
Stanley knife
Scissor

PROCES

Print out the pattern in the image above on A4 and cut it out with scissors. You will use this to draw the shape on the mask.
Take the mask and use the stanley knife to cut out the pattern in the mask. Occasionally hold the paper pattern on the mask to see if you're cutting right.
Remove the glitter and glue from the mask with the stanley knive
Sand the mask to make the surface smooth.

Step 3: Paste Sticker + Make Holes

In this step we will paste the sticker onto the mask and make the holes. The sticker gives the mask a nicer look and gives a protecting layer to the mask which is easily replaced. The holes at the ears are for the elastic attachment while the holes on the nose are for the attachment of the glasses.

MATERIAL

Mask
Hair dryer
Vinyl sticker
Lighter

TOOLS

Hair dryer
Stanley knife
Pattern (previous step)

PROCES

Cut out the pattern of the previous step out of the vinyl with a border of approximately 5mm using the scissor. Maybe use some tape to secure the pattern to the vinyl.
Remove the pattern and paste the sticker roughly on the mask. Don't force it on there.
Put the hairdrigher on the table, turn it on on lowest temperature and blowing force.
Hold the mask with the sticker in front of the hairdryer for a few seconds and pul the sticker so it forms to the shape of the mask. Fold the edge over and paste it on the back.
Repeat until it looks nice and smooth, you may want to practice this step a few times in order to get the feeling. The sticker is easily replaced if you fail.
Cut out the hole in the vinyl sticker that is already present in the mask with the stanley knife.
Burn out 2 holes of app. 1.5mm out of the nose. These must be cut very simitrical with a distance of app. 9mm from centre to centre. Use a piece of metal to burn the holes, warm it up with a lighter. I used a screwdriver diameter 1.5mm for this step.

Step 4: Eva Foam

In this step we will paste the Eva foam onto the mask. These improve the comfort of the user. The eva foam also puts a gap betwen the eyebrows and the mask which ensures air circulation.

MATERIAL

Eva foam thickness 5mm, size 100mm x 50mm
Eva foam thickness 1.5mm, size 50mm x 50mm

TOOLS

Stanley knife
Scissors
Universal glue

PROCES

Print out the patterns from the first photo on A4
Cut out the patterns from Eva foam, the outer two from the thickest (thickness 5mm) and the middle one from the tinnest (1.5mm).
Position the pieces on the inside of the mask as in the last pictures.
Glue them onto the inside of the mask with universal glue.
Cut out some Eva foam where the holes on the nose are.

Step 5: Making the Glasses.

In step 5 we make the glasses. In the attachment is the illustrator file for the spectacle frame. You can go to a fablab and ask the person responsible for the lasercutter if he could help you laser out the file. You can adjust the design a little tp your personal taste, try not to change the overall dimensions too much and the nose part.

MATERIAL

Acetate (4mm) (170mm x 80mm)

TOOLS

Lasercutter
Sanding paper grain 100
Sanding paper grain 360

PROCES

Go to a lasercut lab (fablab, open workspace) with the illustrator file and you pieces of acetate (take some extra to experiment on and find the right settings). We found out that we could use the same settings as plexi glass.
Laser out the spectacle frame.
Sand the piece with the sanding paper grain 360. This will give the spectacle frame a beautiful matte looking finish.
Sand away a vale in the frame at the nose with the sanding paper grain 100. This vale will give the spectacle frame the right pantascopic angle on the nose (see picture). Adjust the vale until the pantascopic angle of the spectacle frame on the mask is around 5°. Sand the vale with sanding paper grain 360 to make is look smooth.

Spectacle frame.ai
Download

Step 6: Elastic Band

In step 6 we cut the elastic band to length. The elastic band will withold the mask from turning and make sure the mask fits well to the user's face.

MATERIAL

Anti-slip elastic 400mm length

TOOLS

Lighter
Scissor

PROCES

Cut the elastic to the desired length using scissors. Put the mask on the user's face and check what length of elastic seems fit from one ear of the mask, arround the head, to the other ear of the mask. Beware that the elastic mustn't be too short cause the mask will put too much pressure on the user's face. But the elastic mustn't be too long either otherwise the mask won't fit properly and will be able to move. The elastic of our user measured 33cm.
Burn the edges of the antislip elastic so they don't fray.

Step 7: Make Pins

In step 7 we make the pins to secure the antislip Elastic to the mask. This connection is entirely modular, easy to losen and easy to replace. The pins make the length of the antislip elastic adjustable.

MATERIAL

2 Nails

TOOLS

Nipper
Plier

PROCES

Nip off the tip of the nail
Bend it so that the bent part is arround 3mm and the long part arroun 20mm.

Step 8: Assembly Part 1

Now we will bring together the mask and the spectacle frame.

MATERIAL

Mask
Spectacle frame
Antislip band
Pins
Looming c-clip
Orthodontic elastic

TOOLS

Iron wire

PROCES

Make a folded piece of iron wire as in the picture (use the nipper). This is a tool that will make the next step a lot more easier.
Attach 2 orthodontic elastics to the iron wire.
put the c-clip on the orthodontic elastic.
Put the elastic through one of the holes of the spectacle frame using the iron wire, make sure that you put it through the front of the spectacle frame.
Put the elastic through the right hole of the mask.
Put it through the other hole of the mask. (we're making a loop).
Put it through the other hole of the spectacle frame.
Attach this end to the U-clip.

Step 9: Assembly Part 2

In this final step we will attach the antislip elastic to the mask.

MATERIAL

Assembly mask + spectacle frame
2 Pins
Antislip elastic

TOOLS

None

PROCES

Put 1 side of the pin through the elastic band on the top half of 1 of the ends.
Put the top of the pint through the hole of the mask from underneath it.
Push the lower end of the pin through the hole. Now the elastic band is fixed to the mask.
Do the same for the other side

The assembly is finished

Step 10: Add Glasses

Now it 's time for the final step, adding the glasses to the spectacle frame. Go to an optician and he will do this for you. He will mill out a through in the frame for the glasses to fit and add the proper glasses.

Enjoy your pair of glasses and add comments on your findings/doubts.