Self-Rising Support Cane
By Henry, Zachary; Colvin, Christopher; Mollendorf, Joseph C.; NSF 2005 Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons With Disabilities, pp. 128-129Publication Date: 2005
Description of a cane, developed at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at State University of New York at Buffalo, which allows the user to adjust its length with a switch. The length can be adjusted 12 inches from its lowest to its highest position to assist the user in getting to a standing position and climbing and descending stairs. The base and handle of a standard quad-cane were combined with a 12-volt, 250-pound linear electro-mechanical actuator with limit switches and encased in PVC pipe fitted with Velcro bushings. The actuator is powered with rechargeable batteries wired in series with an On-Off-On switch on the handle. This is all wired in parallel with a recharging circuit. To operate the cane, the switch on the handle is activated. Pushing towards the body increases the length and pushing away decreases the length of the shaft. When recharging the batteries, the plug will fit directly into the front of the battery box and into a 15-volt wall outlet. The cane weighs circa 9 pounds and requires some upper body strength to use. Cost of the project was $420.
Published by: Creative Learning Press, Inc. (Website:http://www.creativelearningpress.com)
Link to text: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/2005/Buffalo.pdf
ISBN: 1-931280-03-7
