Colorado AgrAbility Project
You want to do what?
Jason Beck, Rehabilitation Technologist
Assistive Technology
How do you match a client with AT?
1) Look for new ways to complete tasks
•
Can you change how client must complete tasks?
2) Look for commercially available products
designed to complete tasks
•
R&D has been done, product will do what it says
3) Look for commercially available products that
you can modify to complete tasks
•
Always easier to modify than to design
4) Design and fabricate a unique device
•
Most expensive, largest risk, sometimes only option
Unique solutions
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
PTO Jack
Automated Irrigation Gate
Portable Ladder/Staircase
ATV Throttle
3D VR model with students
PTO Jack
• Client was paraplegic
• Family member had to
hook-up PTO shaft from
tractor to baler
• Difficult for family
members to support and
couple shaft at same time
• Jack used to support
weight of shaft so that
helper only had to worry
about coupling
PTO Jack
• Materials:
– Scissor style car jack
– Half of irrigation PVC
pipe
– Bungee cord to hold
PTO shaft
– Fasteners to bolt
together
• Cost
– $50
Automated Irrigation Gate
• Client was paraplegic
• Unable to control
water level for
irrigating by himself
• Family member (wife)
had to manually insert
2”x4”s to dam up
water
Automated Irrigation Gate
• Materials:
–
–
–
–
–
Steel channel frame
AC geared motor w/brake
Chain to turn jackshaft
Steel jackshaft
Sheet metal reinforced
w/angle iron to dam water
– Climbing webbing to attach
sheet metal to jackshaft
• Cost
– About $700
Portable Ladder/Staircase
• Client suffered from
chronic back pain and
arthritis
• Irrigated his land by
siphon from concrete
ditch
• Ditch at the bottom of
very soft dirt slope
Portable Ladder/Staircase
• Materials:
– Aluminum angle for
structure
– Raised expanded metal for
stair treads
– Steel pipe for handrail
– Aluminum scrap for
outriggers
– Receiver hitch
– Fasteners to bolt together
• Cost
– About $200
ATV Throttle
• Client had severe
crush injury to right
forearm
• Could not operate
thumb throttle on
ATV
• Modified throttle to
twist type and moved
to left side
ATV Throttle
• Materials:
– Help from Colorado
Powersports
– New throttle cable attached
to carburetor
– Twist throttle control
attached to throttle cable
– Moved to left side of ATV
• Cost
– $175
3D VR Model with Students
• Transfer from tractor lifts
into tractor cabs not
always safe or efficient
• Work with students from
the University of Colorado
to model JD 4440 tractor
cab
• Use 3D virtual reality to
determine placement and
types of devices to help
transfer from lift into cab
Thank You
Any Questions?