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"It is our job to assist SAM in doing things which SAM cannot do."
Client
Our client is a 4 year old boy with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that impairs physical movement and motor skills. It is often diagnosed in infancy or childhood. There are many types of cerebral palsy, Sam's condition is known as spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, diagnosed at the age of 2, when he could not sit up independently or support himself with his arms and legs. He also missed a number of developmental milestones, a trait common in children afflicted with this disorder.
The problem is that Sam has trouble balancing himself when sitting on a chair; his legs need that extra support that most chairs do not provide. Our task was to assemble a portable footplate, so that Sam is not confined to his wheelchair all day. It is especially useful for long car rides, where Sam grows restless from not being able to support himself.
Design
Main Requirements:
Versatility - Able to attach to different types of chairs
Portable - Easy to transport
Adjustable - Sam is a growing child
Function and Durability
Possible Designs:
3 piece dynamic module - Foot platform that could either come up from the ground or down from the seat
Chair cover support - Seat cover with built in foot platform
Seat plate - Strapped onto seat with extension down to foot platform
Attachment to front of chair - Attached to the chair directly with clamps
First we placed all the criteria in a matrix and compared the designs...
Next we wanted to see which design would be the most versatile by predicting the performance of the designs on different chairs.
As one can see, the seat plate design was estimated to be the best choice.
Device
How it Works:
Seat plate is placed on chair and lashing straps secure plate around the bottom and back of the chair
Canvas casing extends from the seat plate to foot platform
Platform can be held horizontal by more lashing straps
Canvas can be folded and secured with optional Velcro straps
Optional Velcro straps on platform for feet
Features:
Lashing straps adjustable for different chair sizes and angle of foot platform
Canvas extension modifiable for different leg lengths
Gritty surface and straps to prevent slipping from platform
Neoprene cushion on seat plate for comfort
Canvas be removed for washing
Easily folded for mobility
This is a CAD image of our design made in SolidWorks
Materials Used/Cost:
About CUBE
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Who We Are
Katherine Karwoski
Ashley Millette
Laura Santoso
April Tang
We are participants of the 2009 UMass Lowell Assistive Technology Design Fair, part of the STREAM B/Engineering course at Mass Academy. If you have enjoyed our site, or appreciate the work we do, please visit Save The Academy so that we may continue with projects such as this.
Contact us? cube-engineering@wpi.edu
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