Engineering students rise to challenge with wheelchair assist device

Students from the Schulich School of Engineering addressed a common issue faced by wheelchair users as their final project before graduating — and in the process were recognized at the 2015 Capstone Design Fair.

April 2015 – The engineering problem was identified by the Spinal Cord Injury Program and ER physician Ian Rigby — a quadriplegic wheelchair user — who challenged the students to try climbing into a wheelchair from the floor without using their legs.

“The problem came from some of my experiences having come out of hospital with a few unceremonious dismounts on the pavement,” says Dr. Rigby.

“I found that it was fairly entertaining to get back into the chair – some of the time successful; some of the time with my wife lifting. It was eye-opening for sure.”

Dr. Rigby, who worked with physiotherapists Jackie Kilgour and Leanne Pierson on the project, hopes the device might one day benefit users who experience falls and can’t get themselves back into their chairs.

“The target users are people who are at least high-level quadriplegic — people with triceps function or better,” he says.

After numerous designs and weeks of fabricating and testing, the six engineering students built a prototype that includes a small seat that can be gradually ratcheted up a steel incline into the wheelchair.

“Instead of one step,” explains engineer Dave Morin, “you’re able to do a whole bunch of steps on the way up.”

A small spring in the system pulls the seat up a notch or two as users slowly lift themselves.

“The tension system is not enough to pull you up, but it’s enough to pull the seat up by itself so you just need to lift your bum a little bit and it will raise it up,” says Morin.

When not required, the bar and seat can be stored underneath and behind the wheelchair.

Though the materials are still being optimized to make them lighter, engineer Courtney MacDonald says the design is solid.

“We had a lot fun manufacturing the seat — it’s bulletproof. It will support any weight at any point because of the ratchet system.”

The engineering team, which also included Samuel Arulnathan, Joshua Herauf, Mico Madamesila and Yifan Wang, took first place in the mechanical and manufacturing division.

Source Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary

 

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