People with disabilities in developing countries often lack the basic equipment needed to assist them in their daily lives. International Nepal Fellowship (INF) is a Christian medical organization located in Nepal that provides medical care and assistance to people with disabilities and other conditions. Currently, INF imports expensive wheelchairs that undergo a prolonged border process before being received. INF has reached out to the Collaboratory to design a wheelchair that can withstand the challenges of Nepal’s terrain and can be manufactured from local materials. The Nepal Wheelchair team has set out to design a wheelchair that can fulfill their needs. In previous work, the team researched wheelchair designs and took a trip to Nepal. From this trip, more information was gained, an initial prototype was constructed, and locally available materials and parts from Nepal were brought back. This year, as a result of knowledge gained through constructing the second prototype, many design changes were tested and implemented. The team researched standards and created testing procedures to ensure the changes to the rear wheel mount, caster wheel mount, footrest, and seat design would uphold the strength and durability of the wheelchair. These design changes have enhanced patient safety and experience in the wheelchair while still keeping the design easily manufacturable. The team also researched options for adding push rims and through using a roller bender were able to construct them. Moving forward, the team will continue to finalize manufacturing documentation and take a second trip to Nepal this May.
Funding for this work provided by The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2022/1012/thumbnail.jp
