Opportunity
The University of North Florida is seeking companies interested in commercializing a new reconfigurable system of modules that make up a battery-powered medical mobility vehicle for rehabilitation and developmental purposes
Application
An underdeveloped market exists for products that support children and young adults with disabilities, especially products that enhance their freedom of mobility. Current devices that attempt to provide children and young adults with an increased degree of freedom include powered wheelchairs and conventional ride-on toys, such as motorized or manually operated vehicles designed to accommodate one or more children as operators or passengers.
Conventional ride-on devices, however, are not designed for long-term use and often seen as toys rather than necessities. They are typically small, cramped, non-adjustable, and use traditional control mechanisms that are difficult to operate or enjoy, particularly for children and young adults with disabilities. Furthermore, traditional mobility devices fail to consider that children and young adults tend to outgrow conventional mobility devices every few months or years. Consequently, families are forced to regularly upgrade their child’s mobility device to larger models when children and young adults no longer fit in their previous devices. In some instances, parents buy larger models to allow their child to grow into their new mobility device; however, in practice, such a policy results in children utilizing oversized devices that can lead to difficulty in operation. Furthermore, in situations in which the child suffers from a progressively worsening neurological condition, it is often difficult to adjust mobility devices for changing needs over time that result from the debilitating nature of the condition.
Accordingly, what is needed is a mobility device that is capable of adjustments and adaptations to an operator’s continually changing needs while remaining simple, intuitive, and comfortable. UNF’s new invention fulfills this need, with applications in therapy and rehabilitation centers, K-12 schools, and private in-home settings.
Invention Details
The invention is based on a modular ride-on that is adjustable according to the specific needs of the operator. The modular ride-on offers children and young adults with disabilities a higher degree of freedom and comfort over traditional mobility devices, such as wheelchairs. The modular ride-on includes a chassis configured to easily connect with a selection of adjustable modules. These independently adjustable modules include a front-end module, first and second drive modules, a seating module, a harness module, an armrest module, a footrest module, a leg support module, a body module, and a control module. An additional patent-pending invention provides control using a powered sensory device that allows for proportional inputs and appropriate proportional responses.
