[ad_1]
Five engineering technology students at the Polytechnic Institute are working on a special project to create a powered wheelchair for a child in need in the community. The students, under the guidance of associate professor Brittany Newell, are using a battery-powered toy car as a platform for their innovation. The project, part of a two-semester capstone class, involves transforming the toy car into a usable wheelchair with features like parental controls, obstacle avoidance, and ergonomics designed to cater to the needs of different children.
The initiative is inspired by the GoBabyGo program started by professor Cole Galloway at the University of Delaware, which aims to improve mobility and quality of life for children through mobility devices like ride-on cars. Newell plans to integrate the concepts of this project into lower level courses to provide hands-on learning opportunities to students.
The project received initial funding from Purdue, but Newell hopes for continued support to keep it running each semester. With her background in biomedical engineering and experience in developing medical devices, Newell is passionate about creating innovative solutions like the powered wheelchair cars for children in need. The project exemplifies the mission of the Polytechnic Institute to equip students with the skills needed to address real-world challenges and advance technology for the betterment of society.
Source
Photo credit polytechnic.purdue.edu
