Re: Symmetric bands: Was: Can someone please tell me if this band is sitting correctly?

[Guest guest]

Thad,

I have to ask if you are an engineer. My dad is an electrical engineer and you analyze things and think the way that he does. Plus, your ability to kind of see the helmet in a unique way says engineer to me.

I recognize your explanation as consistent with the mathematical definition of symmetry. You are correct that none of the band companies must be creating fully symmetric bands unless they do it the way that you describe.

I'm thinking that this would be way too complicated to be doable.

Re: Can someone please tell me if this band is sitting correctly?

On Apr 22, 2010, at 7:18 AM, nwilkens2275 wrote:> They take an image of the head (DSi - which is taken in 3D with > cameras, not lasers/scanners, outstanding technology), make the > mold of the assymetric head, then they "take down" (shave) the > prominent parts a little bit for a tight fit at those holding > points, then they fill in the flat parts with the same molding > compound so that in the end, they have a nice round skull/mold. > Then the band is made to fit that symmetrical head mold and the > excess plastic is cut away.In order to be "symmetrical," they would have to re-image one half of the modified mold, reverse it, and make a new mold combining the reversed and non-reversed halves. The technique you describe is no different in principle than any other "active" band, though I have no doubt that Cranial Technologies is far more successful in accomplishing an effective fit.-- Thad LaundervilleMontpelier, VTClara age 2, STARband '10

[Guest guest]

" Domestic engineer, " perhaps? No, I'm a stay at home dad... I'd also

accept " unemployed. " The Myers-Briggs' personality type INTP is

about as concise a description of my mental workings as I've found.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INTP

I'm no Einstein, but physics *was* the easiest " A " I ever got in

school, and that is pretty close to engineering.

I may be too impractical to be economically useful, but that hasn't

kept the thoughts from churning as I go about my dishwashing, bottle-

feeding and diaper-changing duties. If Cranial Tech devised a

computational method to produce a less-custom-fit product,

*averaging* the two hemispheres, skipping the mold modification

altogether... could they not leverage the DSi into an empire, trading

with ordinary O & P's like Orthomerica? I'll donate the mark: DSiT

(Digital Surface Image® Transformation).

--

Thad Launderville

Montpelier, VT

Clara age 2, STARband '10

On Apr 22, 2010, at 10:08 PM, wrote:

>

>

> Thad,

>

> I have to ask if you are an engineer. My dad is an electrical

> engineer and you analyze things and think the way that he does.

> Plus, your ability to kind of see the helmet in a unique way says

> engineer to me.

>

> I recognize your explanation as consistent with the mathematical

> definition of symmetry. You are correct that none of the band

> companies must be creating fully symmetric bands unless they do it

> the way that you describe.

>

> I'm thinking that this would be way too complicated to be doable.

>

>

>

>

> Re: Can someone please tell me if this band is

> sitting correctly?

>

>

> On Apr 22, 2010, at 7:18 AM, nwilkens2275 wrote:

>

> > They take an image of the head (DSi - which is taken in 3D with

> > cameras, not lasers/scanners, outstanding technology), make the

> > mold of the assymetric head, then they " take down " (shave) the

> > prominent parts a little bit for a tight fit at those holding

> > points, then they fill in the flat parts with the same molding

> > compound so that in the end, they have a nice round skull/mold.

> > Then the band is made to fit that symmetrical head mold and the

> > excess plastic is cut away.

>

> In order to be " symmetrical, " they would have to re-image one half of

> the modified mold, reverse it, and make a new mold combining the

> reversed and non-reversed halves. The technique you describe is no

> different in principle than any other " active " band, though I have no

> doubt that Cranial Technologies is far more successful in

> accomplishing an effective fit.

>

> --

> Thad Launderville

> Montpelier, VT

> Clara age 2, STARband '10

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I guess that explains why I have a hard time understanding half of the

things you say. I majored in communications and stayed as far away from science

as I could (I would get the heebie-jeebies just walking into the science

building for my required calc class).

I think in simple terms and visually or " almost " symmetrical is good enough for

me (anyone looking for a scientifically/mathmatically/to the decimal point

symmetrical head for their child has their expectations way too high). The

creator of the DOCBand is a creative/artistic type, not a science guru, so she's

very visual (and it seems to have worked for her). The process I described is

her way of doing it by hand, but there is a computer program that they also use

that may very well do what you describe, but I don't know for sure because,

again, my brain doesn't grasp that kind of explanation. Regardless, the bands

are very much custom made because every child's head shape and version of

" symmetrical " is different.

And my last thought about the ear holes and I'm shutting up, because this

conversation is seriously stressing me out: they're really just there to keep

the band in place, like a pair of glasses. The holding points are on the

prominent areas of the head (on the back and the forehead), there is no pressure

behind or in front of the ears, at least not in " typical " plagio. I'm guessing

the idea is the same for brachy because the holding points are on the upper

sides of the head, not behind the ears. I double checked my son's 2 bands and

the ear holes are not lined up exactly, but neither were his ears at the time he

wore them, so obviously that was a comfort issue. The fact remains that the rest

of the band seems perfectly shaped to me VISUALLY and that's all I cared about.

(Also , STARBands sit way lower than a DOCBand on the baby's neck. My

son's came just to the top of the crook of his neck and no further, plus it

curves outward just a little for added comfort so there was never a need to

modify or cut that area. I don't know how I would feel if my son's bands didn't

sit straight on a table. Not very confident, I would guess).

Jake-3.5 (DOCBand Grad 9/08)

Raleigh, NC

> >

> > > They take an image of the head (DSi - which is taken in 3D with

> > > cameras, not lasers/scanners, outstanding technology), make the

> > > mold of the assymetric head, then they " take down " (shave) the

> > > prominent parts a little bit for a tight fit at those holding

> > > points, then they fill in the flat parts with the same molding

> > > compound so that in the end, they have a nice round skull/mold.

> > > Then the band is made to fit that symmetrical head mold and the

> > > excess plastic is cut away.

> >

> > In order to be " symmetrical, " they would have to re-image one half of

> > the modified mold, reverse it, and make a new mold combining the

> > reversed and non-reversed halves. The technique you describe is no

> > different in principle than any other " active " band, though I have no

> > doubt that Cranial Technologies is far more successful in

> > accomplishing an effective fit.

> >

> > --

> > Thad Launderville

> > Montpelier, VT

> > Clara age 2, STARband '10

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

my sons helmet was far from perfect, 1 side of the back of the outside did extend farther than the other and yes the ears didnt line up but neither did his, they made the ear hole bigger as he went though.  But he did not holding points behind the ears as he had a huge lump behind the unflat ear and that was contributing to pushing it forward and outward  but it was also pushed down as well and on parts of his head where there didnt seem to be any he needed some so we really looked at the band a lot trying to figure out how it would possibly work

On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 7:13 AM, nwilkens2275 <nwilkens2275@...> wrote:

 

Well, I guess that explains why I have a hard time understanding half of the things you say. I majored in communications and stayed as far away from science as I could (I would get the heebie-jeebies just walking into the science building for my required calc class).

I think in simple terms and visually or " almost " symmetrical is good enough for me (anyone looking for a scientifically/mathmatically/to the decimal point symmetrical head for their child has their expectations way too high). The creator of the DOCBand is a creative/artistic type, not a science guru, so she's very visual (and it seems to have worked for her). The process I described is her way of doing it by hand, but there is a computer program that they also use that may very well do what you describe, but I don't know for sure because, again, my brain doesn't grasp that kind of explanation. Regardless, the bands are very much custom made because every child's head shape and version of " symmetrical " is different.

And my last thought about the ear holes and I'm shutting up, because this conversation is seriously stressing me out: they're really just there to keep the band in place, like a pair of glasses. The holding points are on the prominent areas of the head (on the back and the forehead), there is no pressure behind or in front of the ears, at least not in " typical " plagio. I'm guessing the idea is the same for brachy because the holding points are on the upper sides of the head, not behind the ears. I double checked my son's 2 bands and the ear holes are not lined up exactly, but neither were his ears at the time he wore them, so obviously that was a comfort issue. The fact remains that the rest of the band seems perfectly shaped to me VISUALLY and that's all I cared about.

(Also , STARBands sit way lower than a DOCBand on the baby's neck. My son's came just to the top of the crook of his neck and no further, plus it curves outward just a little for added comfort so there was never a need to modify or cut that area. I don't know how I would feel if my son's bands didn't sit straight on a table. Not very confident, I would guess).

Jake-3.5 (DOCBand Grad 9/08)Raleigh, NC

> >

> > > They take an image of the head (DSi - which is taken in 3D with> > > cameras, not lasers/scanners, outstanding technology), make the> > > mold of the assymetric head, then they " take down " (shave) the

> > > prominent parts a little bit for a tight fit at those holding> > > points, then they fill in the flat parts with the same molding> > > compound so that in the end, they have a nice round skull/mold.

> > > Then the band is made to fit that symmetrical head mold and the> > > excess plastic is cut away.> >> > In order to be " symmetrical, " they would have to re-image one half of

> > the modified mold, reverse it, and make a new mold combining the> > reversed and non-reversed halves. The technique you describe is no> > different in principle than any other " active " band, though I have no

> > doubt that Cranial Technologies is far more successful in> > accomplishing an effective fit.> >> > -- > > Thad Launderville> > Montpelier, VT> > Clara age 2, STARband '10

> >> >> >>

-- -mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!