TTU Students Re-Engineer Items to Make Everyday Tasks Easier
By Herald-Citizen,Publication Date: February 12, 2012
Article describes modifications made to everyday items to make them more accessible to users with physical disabilities. The modifications were made by engineering students at Tennessee Tech University as follows: (1) an exercise bike for a 14-year-old blind girl was fitted with an MP3 player connected to the control panel to enable the user to listen to music which plays when she pedals at continuous speed. Other modifications made to the bike include redesigned pedals that support the user’s ankles and placement of the seat on a turntable; (2) a work desk, mouthpiece holder, and mouse stand were designed to allow a woman with limited mobility to operate a computer using only slight neck movements; supported by jack stands and powered by gas shocks, the table is easily raised and lowered; (3) a pink tricycle was modified for a 3-year-old girl with cerebral palsy to enable her to steer it with one hand; in addition, the cycle is powered by a motor that runs with continuous pressure from the rider, powering down quickly for safety; (4) a feeding device designed for a young man with limited grasping ability features a button which, when tapped, lowers a spoon into a bowl where it scoops up food and raises the food to the user’s mouth; and (5) for a teenager who rocks compulsively, a chair was adapted for use at school desks with the addition of a damper and additional springs to absorb the force of the rocking, enable a broad rocking range, and keep the chair from tipping.
Published by: Herald-Citizen (Website:http://www.herald-citizen.com)
Link to text: http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/17501088/
