Engineering students innovate wheelchair-accessible fitness equipment

A workforce of 5 engineering college students from the College of Ottawa has developed a prototype that is remodeling the health expertise for people with mobility challenges. The prototype makes a typical Concept2 rower wheelchair accessible, offering elevated alternatives for bodily exercise and well-being.

The mission, a part of a second-year engineering design course, was initiated in response to a request from Brian Robitaille, a program coordinator with the Metropolis of Ottawa. Robitaille, who lately acquired the town’s Creativity and Innovation Champion award for his work on the mission, acknowledged the necessity for extra accessible health choices.

The prototype has been efficiently applied on the Jack Purcell Neighborhood Centre in Centretown, the place it is already making an impression. “Now we have acquired testimonials from quite a few purchasers with mobility points who’ve benefited from having the ability to use the Concept2 machine,” says Etienne Borm, a member of the coed workforce. “This gear gives a much-needed alternative for upper-body energy coaching with out requiring purchasers to be transferred from their wheelchairs.”

Hanan Anis, director of the College of Engineering Design and Educating Innovation, College of Engineering and Engineering Design course professor, says, “This prototype is a testomony to the ingenuity and problem-solving expertise of our college students. It’s a prime instance of how engineering can be utilized to create tangible options that enhance the lives of others.”

The coed workforce, composed of Etienne Borm, Alyssa Carter, Noah Cummings, Abdullah Ramadan and Rémi Thomas Richard, is pleased with the impression of its work. Their mission highlights the potential of engineering training to drive innovation and handle real-world challenges.