Mobility Projects
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- Mobile Floor Sitter
- Tricycles and Bikes for Visually Impaired Children
- Tricycles for Children with Dwarfism
- Emergency Wheelchair Braking System
- Remote Control Bicycle Brakes for Child with Autism
- Bicycle for Child with Arthrogryposis
- Wheelchair Lift
- Low-Rider Wheelchair
- 2-Legged Balancing System
Mobile Floor Sitter
This device was designed for a client who had familial peripheral neuropathy. This client could not move her upper body and required a ventilator to breathe. To move, the client would sit on the foot pedals of her wheelchair and used her legs to push herself around. This was not an effective way for the client to move so UVATT designed a Mobile Floor Sitter that could store her ventilator and be low enough for the her feet to touch the ground. The Sitter’s front wheels were made with casters (found on office chairs and shopping carts), making it easy for her to maneuver. As well, when the client grows, the frame of the Sitter will also grow with her. UVATT included settings that could manually adjust the size of the Sitter.
Tricycles and Bikes for Visually Impaired Children
UVATT has developed a microprocessor-based system that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect objects in front and to the sides of the rider. These sensors would be mounted on the bike and a speaker would emit tones to warn the child and/or parent of objects around the bike. The tones will vary in pitch, depending on the distance of the object, and the range of sensors can easily be adjusted to accommodate different environments (for example, gyms, hallways, back yards etc.). Ten bikes have been delivered to users. Most of the users live on Vancouver Island but tricycles have also been sent to families in Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Tricycles for Children with Dwarfism
UVATT has designed tricycles that can be ridden by children with dwarfism. Children with dwarfism are unable to ride conventional tricycles because they are designed for kids with significantly longer limbs. To counter this problem, our engineers adjusted the tricycle so the pedals are smaller and the bike seat is moved closer to the handlebars. Five tricycles have been donated to families, four in Victoria and one in Utah.
Remote Control Bicycle Brakes for Child with Autism
This device is being designed for a boy who enjoys cycling but has trouble responding appropriately to unsafe situations. The goal of this project is to build a device that will allow his caregiver to trigger his brakes from any distance. Four mechanical engineering students began the initial design work of the brakes and now a UVATT team member is continuing the project.
Bicycle for Child with Arthrogryposis
This is being designed for a girl who would like to cycle, but has joint mobility limitations that prohibit typical cycling motions. The purpose of this project is to build, modify or locate a bicycle that can be propelled, steered and stopped using the motions she can most comfortably perform. Five UVic Mechanical Engineering students have taken on this project.
Wheelchair Lift
This device is being designed for a client with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This client currently uses a power wheelchair and wants a device that allows him to get in and out of his wheelchair in an efficient manner. The goal is to create a manual or mechanical lift that would assist him out of his wheelchair and into another chair. The lift would ideally be portable and compact enough to fold up so the client can put it on the back of his wheelchair.
Low-Rider Wheelchair
This project is being designed to suit anyone who uses a wheelchair and likes/needs to be near the ground occasionally. This would come in handy for activities such as gardening, childcare and pet care. UVATT is designing a chair that can be power-raised and lowered so that both a high and low sitting position is available in a single chair. A group of UVic Mechanical Engineering students are working on this project.
2-Legged Balancing System
This project serves, for the most part, as a prelude to the mechanical legs research project. The goal of this project is to create a self-balancing system consisting of two legs and a representative upper body mass. These two portions would be connected by way of a hip joint and would mimic the human body in its simplistic form. With this system in place, our research on mechanical legs would be further propelled. A trio of electrical engineering students makes up the project team.
