Wheelchair Attachment

Discipline: MAE

Advisor: Sudeshna Pal

Our project aims to increase the independence and convenience of wheelchair users when shopping. To do so, the project consists of two parts: a cart attachment system and a motorized propulsion system. The attachment system is a universal attachment that will allow the user to connect any shopping cart to their wheelchair, whether motorized or manual. The motorized propulsion system is an attachment for manual wheelchair users to easily navigate through the store while carrying the load of the shopping cart and items within it. It will be controlled using an accommodation friendly joystick. While there are options in grocery stores for wheelchair users to shop, such as the motorized shopping carts, these choices can be dangerous for users with lower mobility or inconvenient for those who struggle to leave their wheelchair unattended. By developing a universal wheelchair shopping cart attachment system, wheelchair users can reduce stress and increase independence, comfort, and confidence during their shopping experience. The project has the potential to expand its scope by adapting the attachment for use with other objects beyond shopping carts, such as strollers.

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