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Wheelchair modifications for student at STEP Boise
Wheelchair modifications for student at STEP Boise
People with disabilities struggle to achieve independence, most commonly because of limited mobility and communication. The Student Transition Education Program (STEP) in Boise helps disabled high school graduates to gain independence as they transition into adulthood. Our Engineering+ team worked with STEP and one of their students, Aaliyah, who required two attachments to her wheelchair in order to improve her mobility and communicability.
Our client accidentally presses some of the buttons on her wheelchair controls which can unwantedly stop it from moving. Our objective was to design a button cover device that would prevent these accidental presses to improve her mobility and independence.
Also, our client struggles to keep her Bluetooth communication device on her wheelchair while in use. Our objective was to design a structure to hold the communication device firmly on the wheelchair which would improve her communicability and independence.
The images to the left are of Aaliyah's wheelchair controls and communication device. The four buttons control settings such as speed and angle of the wheelchair recline. The communication device is joystick operated and connected via Bluetooth to an assistive communication app on her iPad. Our goal was to create the two devices so that they would not be permanently attached to the wheelchair since they would not always be in use.
Prototype, Prototype, Prototype
Prototype, Prototype, Prototype
This project was essentially a continuous series of us creating prototypes and testing them with the client. We started with very basic sketches and foamcore prototypes, then moved to Solidworks and 3D printing. Each time we 3D printed the prototypes, we had to make some dimensional adjustments after meeting at STEP.
Our initial idea for the button cover was that there would be some sort of rotating piece to completely cover and uncover the buttons as desired. After receiving feedback from the client and her teachers, they said we could do without that as long as the piece was thick enough to make the buttons more difficult to accidentally press.
We also initially thought the shape of the button cover could mimic the placement of the buttons, as opposed to being a rectangle. This prototype also includes our design idea for the velcro straps that would allow for the non-permanent attachment of the device.
For the communication device holder, we decided to go with a box that could hold the device and have velcro straps as well for attaching to the arm of the wheelchair. The straps can be attached on top of the box to hold the communication device and act as a carrying or storage vessel as well.
Because the main concern of the communication device was that it wouldn't stay on the wheelchair arm very well, we prototyped adding a rubber sheet to the bottom of the box in order to increase friction. Our client has poor dexterity due to her disability, so we wanted the Bluetooth device to stay on the wheelchair as firmly as possible.
Solidworks and Initial 3D prints
Solidworks and Initial 3D prints
Initial Solidworks model of the button cover
First 3D printed model of the button cover using PLA filament
Initial Solidworks model of the communication device holder
First 3D printed model of the communication device holder using PLA filament
Phase 2 Prototypes
Phase 2 Prototypes
3D printed button cover using nylon filament. We wanted to try using a material other than PLA, but the nylon was too flexible.
3D printed button cover with adjusted dimensions and hole placement
3D printed communication device holder with adjusted charger port size and placement, adjusted velcro slots placement
Up close view of the velcro slots. We added a groove in the base to assist with hot glueing the velcro.
Testing of Phase 2 Prototypes
Testing of Phase 2 Prototypes
The button cover design was almost fitting perfectly. The button hole placement needed to be ever so slightly adjusted, and the length and width needed to be increased as well.
The communication device holder was now the perfect size, but we needed to adjust the placement of the velcro straps slightly. We left the device with Aaliyah for a week to get as much feedback as possible.
Communication device fits snugly!
Charger port hole is the perfect size and location.
Final Products
Final Products
Work in the Engineering Design Studio
Work in the Engineering Design Studio
For this project, my group members and I spent the majority of our time tweaking our Solidworks models and 3D printing new prototypes. We struggled the most to get the dimensions accurate for the button cover because of how difficult it was to take measurements of the wheelchair controls system. There were many odd shapes, weird angles and specific placement of buttons. Circles in Solidworks are typically drawn based on the center point of the circle, and it was virtually impossible for us to measure the distances and angles between the buttons from the centers of them using calipers. Because of this, we pretty much just had to go the "trial and error" route. Thankfully, it was relatively straight forward to alter the dimensions and make new 3D prints. We ran into scheduling conflicts to actually test the devices on Aaliyah's wheelchair, and this frequently delayed our prototyping updates. In the end, we were able to complete our goal and deliver the final completed products to our client at STEP.
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