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Posted April 27, 1999 Innovative Wheelchair Designs Demonstrated on Maine Day New designs for wheelchairs that lock automatically when their occupants start to get out of them will be demonstrated by University of Maine mechanical engineering technology students at Maine Day, April 28. The demonstration will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Crosby Lab on the UMaine campus as students race to retrofit existing wheelchairs with their new devices. At the suggestion of two Bangor health care professionals, Jeff Boyd and Carolyn Cyr, formerly of Ross Manor, the students accepted the challenge last fall of designing effective, economical devices that could be added to wheelchairs. Injuries frequently occur, the students were told, when wheelchair users forget to lock their wheels before trying to push themselves out of the chair. "We interviewed people at Ross Manor and Westgate Manor as well as the Brewer Rehabilitation and Living Center and the Maine Veteran’s Home," says Michael Cotter of Eddington, one of the students in the class. "We needed to find out what the users need, what sorts of problems they were having and just what the need is for this type of device. Turns out there’s quite a large demand for it." The students worked in teams and developed seven different designs ranging from simple spring loaded mechanisms to a computerized system. One design uses bicycle cables and the wheelchair occupant’s weight to apply force to brakes, and another uses the wheelchair arms as leverage. The class is taught by Herbert Crosby of Orono, professor of mechanical engineering technology. The students received donations of equipment from area businesses including ADCO Surgical Supply Co. in Bangor, Pat’s Bike Shop in Brewer and Rose Bicycle in Orono. The designs will be judged on the basis of weight, overall design, how easily the locking devices can be installed and their effectiveness in preventing the wheelchair from slipping. Return UMaine Today Research home |
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