Standing "Danny"

Many children with cerebral palsy go through much of their lives looking up from a wheelchair. Wheeled standers open their worlds to experiences and perspectives others take for granted. Past clients have stated that something as simple as seeing what is up on their kitchen countertops, being able to wash dishes at their sink, or seeing how "tall" they are compared to their peers can mean so much. Unfortunately until now, the design of the wheeled standers did not accommodate the needs of many children who have asymmetrical upper extremity involvement. A senior design team designed modifications to an exisiting "Standing Danny" that enables one armed operation of the wheelchair.

The modifications consist of two main components:

1. A chain drive with off center axle: the chain drive allows the second wheel to move when the first wheel is moved
2. A modified wheel rim: when the outer rim is moved independently, it turns the chair; when it is moved with the outer rim, both wheels move the chair in a straight line

Impact

With this design modification independent mobility in a standing position can be a reality. For people who spend much of their time in a wheelchair, the physiological and psychological benefits of using a wheeled stander are so important. It is so exciting to know that there is now a possibility of a much larger population of people who will be able to experience those benefits, due to this one-armed drive design modification.

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0079969 and/or a Research Experience for Undergraduate supplement. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.