Improving Tricycle Biomechanics: Strategy

Tricycle Biomechanics TeamMarch 3, 2007Xin He, Tess Veuthey, Katherine Wong, Mario Bollini, Elizabeth Au, Lindsay Todman

http://web.mit.edu/sp.784/www/projects.html

Functional Requirements

Ergonomics Aesthetics Adaptability to different disability needs Increase power output efficiency Improve tricycle simultaneous

power and steering

Power and Steering

http://www.unescap.org/esid/psis/disability/decade/publications/z15001p1/z1500104.htm

rating push ring symmetric lever asymmetric lever symmetric crank asymmetric crank row independent crankdurability 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 -1aesthetics 1 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0terrain 4 -1 -1 0 -1 0 -1 0weight/portability 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 -1complexity 2 1 -1 -1 0 0 -1 -1flexibility (changes for different user sizes) 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 0local manufacturing (repair, materials) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0time to make 2 1 -1 -1 0 0 -1 -1performance 5 -2 0 0 0 0 0 0cost 4 1 1 -1 0 0 -1 -1ability of use by a person with spinal injuriesintegration with steering system 5 -1 0 0 1 0 -1 -1

-3 -2 -6 1 0 -16 -19

Future Plans

Short Term: Develop a more thorough understanding

of the steering and power systems through experimentation on the tricycles.

Long Term: Use the information we gathered to design

a power-steering system that is easier to use and more efficient than the hand-crank and steering system.

Mentors & Community Partners

•Amos Winter•Gwyn Jones•Ralf Hotchkiss•Aaron Wheeler•Rory McCarthy

•Henry Chacha and Erasto Elias at DAGE•Peter Mbugua and Alfred Matoi at APDK•Casserdy Magaya and Rasta Nazarite at Disacare

Current Designs

http://www.unescap.org/esid/psis/disability/decade/publications/z15001p1/z1500104.htm

http://www.spinlife.com/category.cfm?categoryID=8

http://web.mit.edu/sp.784/www/projects.html