Power Assist Device attached to a manual wheelchair
For our final year engineering capstone project, we developed an attachable, app-controlled Power Assist Device (PAD) for a manual wheelchair, allowing users to maintain the freedom and dignity of manual wheelchairs without the associated fatigue and difficulty.
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Awarded Most Innovative Project from 50+ competing projects
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Manual wheelchairs, while lightweight and easily operable, require a baseline level of strength and can be difficult to use over long distances. This leaves manual wheelchairs inaccessible for certain demographics, such as stroke patients or individuals with arthritis, who may not have the required strength or endurance. The alternative, Powerchairs (electric wheelchairs), are big, bulky, expensive, and oftentimes reduce precise mobility.
Manual Wheelchair users with limited strength and dexterity need a low-cost Power Assist Device to improve their ability to interact with their environment and decrease wheelchair associated fatigue at an accessible price, while maintaining the benefits of their manual wheelchair
Internal look at the PAD
Engineering Capstone Project: Power Assist Device for a Manual Wheelchair
Benchtop test
Hallway Drive Demonstration
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