Project Summary | Project Information |
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Abstract: Individuals faced with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities require specialized services to help reach their full potential in the community. Many of them benefit greatly from mental stimulation, as it contributes to maintaining a better overall quality of life. Certain activities, such as swinging, achieve mental stimulation by targeting the vestibular system. The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain responsible for detecting movements and gravitational pull. Inside the brain, neurological connections process and integrate sensory information associated with controlling balance and eye movements. This process, known as sensory integration, contributes to emotional regulation, learning, behavior, and participation in daily life. The goal of the system is to assist occupational or physical therapists in providing controlled vestibular input, which is recommended for individuals with sensory processing disabilities. For over 50 years, Arc of Monroe County has offered these individuals a variety of programs and services including meaningful social development, supported employment, residential community living, and enrichment opportunities. In particular, Arc of Monroe’s Day Services program promotes valuable learning opportunities through mental, emotional, and social stimulation. Such stimulation is integral in maintaining a better overall quality of life. For more information about the Day Habilitation Program, visit the Arc of Monroe's Day Habilitation Information Page! Our Goal: Organizations like Arc of Monroe must acquire separate mechanisms in order to provide swinging therapy to a variety of participants. Wheelchair swings allow individuals in wheelchairs to swing without exiting their standard or powered wheelchairs. Additionally, platform swings allow individuals who do not use a wheelchair and require more intense stimulation to swing freely in a 360° footprint. This project focuses on the development and implementation of a dual platform-wheelchair swing, accommodating both the needs of individuals who require wheelchairs and the needs of those who do not. The main features that distinguish the apparatus from today's product market are its indoor/outdoor capabilities and its dual purpose; the wheelchair swing subsystem can be removed from the frame and a platform swing can be installed. At the end of the project the team will deliver a working prototype, a use and maintenance manual, an assembly manual, detailed drawings, executed test plans with documented results, a bill of materials and a technical paper and poster. |
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Team Members
Member | Role | Contact |
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Maggie Bates | Project Leader, Industrial and Systems Engineer | mlbates553@rit.edu |
Elizabeth Cutolo | Primary EDGE Support, Mechanical Engineer | eac2265@rit.edu |
Sean Kennelly | Design Lead, Mechanical Engineer | sjk1412@rit.edu |
Owen Breese | Team Facilitator, Mechanical Engineer | owb2025@rit.edu |
MSD I Table of Contents
Problem Definition | Systems Level Design | Subsystems Level Design | Detailed Design |
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Includes: Project Background Project Summary Project Use Scenarios Customer Requirements Engineering Specifications House of Quality Project Definition Design Review |
Includes: MSDI Weeks 1-9 Risk Assessment Benchmarking Functional Decomposition Morphological Chart Concept Selection Concept Development System Architecture Subsystem Feasibility Analysis Systems Level Design Review |
Includes: Final Concept Selection Safety Subsystem Propulsion Subsystem Motor/Braking Subsystem Frame Subsystem Wheelchair Platform Subsystem Platform Swing Subsystem |
Includes: Final Functional Decomposition Projected Project Life Use Scenario Risk Analysis MSD I 8-15, Winter Break Subsystems: Platform Swing Detailed Design |
MSD II Table of Contents
Review 1 | Review 2 | Review 3 | Review 4 | Review 5 |
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Includes: Risk Chart Test Plan |
Includes: Fabrication/Assembly Test Plans Risk Chart Documentation |
Includes: Fabrication/Assembly Test Plans Risk Chart Documentation |
Includes: Subsystem: Expected Versus Actual System: Expected Versus Actual Test Plans Risk Chart Documentation |
Includes: Documentation Final Subsystem Photos |
Project Management Table of Contents
Managing a Project |
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Acknowledgements
- Arc of Monroe, Heather Margeson, Mike Parker, Dr. Dan Phillips, Gerald Garavuso, Qualicoat, Klein Steel
Works Cited
Project Background
- Swing Therapy and Sensory Integration for Special Needs Children
- Swinging As Therapy is a Component of Sensory Integration Therapy
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