Amanda Gelb
A suite of low-cost offerings that enable those in wheelchairs to climb between one and five steps autonomously
Description
We have put man on the moon but many storefronts in urban and rural environments are still inaccessible due to a few pesky steps. I have been working to imagine possible fixes for this problem for the past six months.
This project was a quest for mechanism and material- from geometric folding algorithms, hydraulics, and 3D printing to modular furniture design.. It ultimately presents a few different solutions for wheelchair users- 2 possible manual wheelchair options and one for power chairs. Specifically, these tools will enable powerchairs to ascend one step and manual wheelchairs to ascend a few steps without assistance.
Design for disability is fraught by designing on behalf of. Often adaptive devices look geriatric and dull. This project was privileged to design hand-in-hand with the input of 100+ wheelchair users. It also aims to bring a unique aesthetic approach to a meaningful need.
Device Features: lightweight, portable, low-cost, minimal time to set up, adheres easily to the chair with minimal footprint.
Classes
Ability Lab, Making Pop-Up Books and Paper Engineering, Mechanisms: If It Moves It Breaks, Mechanisms: If It Moves It Breaks