Five engineering technology students at Purdue University are using their skills to make a difference in the community by building a powered wheelchair for a child in need. Under the guidance of Associate Professor Brittany Newell, the students transformed a battery-powered toy car provided by Fisher-Price into a fully functional wheelchair. The project, a part of a capstone class at the School of Engineering Technology, aimed to design controls for a 360-degree car with features like parental controls, obstacle avoidance, and ergonomics to meet the needs of children. The wheelchair was delivered to a local family in mid-October.
The initiative is part of the GoBabyGo program started by Professor Cole Galloway at the University of Delaware, which aims to provide mobility devices to children in need. Since its inception, GoBabyGo has gained global traction with new chapters forming at universities and service groups. Newell, who has a personal connection to the project, hopes to incorporate concepts from the GoBabyGo project into lower-level courses to engage students in experiential learning.
Newell’s goal is to continue running the project each semester in the capstone course with the hopes of securing additional funding. With a background in biomedical engineering, Newell is passionate about developing medical and mobility devices like powered wheelchair cars. She believes that through projects like GoBabyGo, students can gain hands-on experience and make a positive impact in the community.
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Photo credit polytechnic.purdue.edu