Mounting Device

A student with a regressive motor disease and severe visual impairment uses a wheelchair and requires a device to allow him to read on his own. The student must be able to adjust the device so that he can read easily with proper posture. The device, shown at left, easily attaches and detaches to the wheelchair and is fully adjustable with toggle switches. The reading surface has three degrees of freedom so that the student will have proper posture when reading. The device is freestanding so that it is portable and so that the weight of the device is transmitted to the ground instead of the wheelchair.

Impact

Prior to using the device, the student had a hunched posture in order to read books. The device will help our client immensely by helping him maintain an erect posture. The strain in his neck will be greatly reduced due to better posture, and the lighting source on the device will allow him to read at night. The adjustability of the device will allow for the reading of books of different shapes and sizes and will also allow the device to adjust to the student as he grows.

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.