Bus Interior Design for the Disabled at Bhakti Luhur Alma Orphanage

Abstract

The Bhakti Luhur Alma Orphanage cares for people with disabilities—including those with physical, visual, and hearing impairments—who are homeless. The mobility of the orphanage residents is currently hindered by inadequate vehicle interiors. This study aims to identify the specific needs of the users, design vehicle interiors tailored to those needs, and evaluate the results. The method used is design thinking with inclusive principles, which includes the stages of understand, observe, define point of view, ideate, prototype, and test and reflect. In the understand and observe stages, seven main needs were identified, including ample space for movement, safety features, and self-reliance indicators. Through a concept scoring process of three design alternatives, a combined concept with the highest weighted score of 4.55 was selected. Some features of the final design include an ergonomic folding seat, a cross-body safety belt, a wheelchair restraint, audio/visual indicators, and guiding blocks. The design was evaluated by a mechanical engineer, a special education teacher, and a manufacturing expert. The evaluation indicated that the design is feasible and meets the needs of people with disabilities.