starting with a problem and moving forward
Problem
Many people with disabilities are able to walk, but can't walk for long periods of time. They are forced to either bring both a walker and a wheelchair, or only use a wheelchair and not receive any of the benefits of walking. Carrying around several pieces of equipment in order to stay mobile is difficult, especially when transporting it with a vehicle. Most people have to rely on someone else to help them with their equipment.
We know several people personally who have these problems. A former teammate from our Lego League team has cerebral palsy. She has had numerous surgeries to lengthen her leg bones and tendons. Following these surgeries, she would be in a wheelchair and would have to work up to walking with a walker. This transition requires her to move between the two pieces of equipment frequently. Having to rely on two devices throughout the school day, makes it difficult to get around without being noticeable. She doesn’t like the attention that is drawn to her or feeling like she is different from her peers.
A great uncle of a teammate had similar issues. He wanted to be active and attend lots of events. One of his favorite things to do was to go to Creighton University basketball games. Parking was very spread out and required him to walk a long way to get to the stadium. He knew that exercise would be good for him, but he couldn’t walk that far. He had to take a transport wheelchair/walker instead. This required having someone there to help push him because all of the wheels were small, unlike a regular wheelchair with two propulsion wheels. This made him feel dependent on others and as a result, he didn’t go to many of the games.
As we researched this problem further, we found out that millions of people can relate to these issues because they also struggle with getting around and staying fit. Having to carry multiple pieces of equipment, the loss of independence, being seen as different, and getting less exercise, are all issues that result from not having a single piece of equipment that gives them more freedom to be active.
Solution
The Walk ‘n Wheel is both a walker and a self-propulsion wheelchair. The user can easily switch from a wheelchair to a walker in just two quick steps: pull the Velcro strips on each side of the seat so it can Velcro to the back of the chair and kick the stabilizing bar. There are hand brakes on the underside of the armrests, which makes the user of the walker feel safe and in control. This is not like a transporter wheelchair. It has two propulsion wheels, so people can maintain their independence. It also folds up so it can be easily transported. Because it’s made of aluminum, it’s lightweight. In fact, all of the products used to make it are waterproof, so it can even be taken into the shower!
We created this product for our former teammate, so that she felt more comfortable both emotionally and physically. As soon as she is ready to begin walking again, we want her to have the option to use our device to go back and forth as needed and be able to maintain her independence.
In the case of many elderly people, such as the great uncle mentioned above, this invention would help increase their activity level, self confidence, independence, and ability to go places and be more social. In a sense, this invention has the capability of extending lives and making them more enjoyable!
Many people with disabilities are able to walk, but can't walk for long periods of time. They are forced to either bring both a walker and a wheelchair, or only use a wheelchair and not receive any of the benefits of walking. Carrying around several pieces of equipment in order to stay mobile is difficult, especially when transporting it with a vehicle. Most people have to rely on someone else to help them with their equipment.
We know several people personally who have these problems. A former teammate from our Lego League team has cerebral palsy. She has had numerous surgeries to lengthen her leg bones and tendons. Following these surgeries, she would be in a wheelchair and would have to work up to walking with a walker. This transition requires her to move between the two pieces of equipment frequently. Having to rely on two devices throughout the school day, makes it difficult to get around without being noticeable. She doesn’t like the attention that is drawn to her or feeling like she is different from her peers.
A great uncle of a teammate had similar issues. He wanted to be active and attend lots of events. One of his favorite things to do was to go to Creighton University basketball games. Parking was very spread out and required him to walk a long way to get to the stadium. He knew that exercise would be good for him, but he couldn’t walk that far. He had to take a transport wheelchair/walker instead. This required having someone there to help push him because all of the wheels were small, unlike a regular wheelchair with two propulsion wheels. This made him feel dependent on others and as a result, he didn’t go to many of the games.
As we researched this problem further, we found out that millions of people can relate to these issues because they also struggle with getting around and staying fit. Having to carry multiple pieces of equipment, the loss of independence, being seen as different, and getting less exercise, are all issues that result from not having a single piece of equipment that gives them more freedom to be active.
Solution
The Walk ‘n Wheel is both a walker and a self-propulsion wheelchair. The user can easily switch from a wheelchair to a walker in just two quick steps: pull the Velcro strips on each side of the seat so it can Velcro to the back of the chair and kick the stabilizing bar. There are hand brakes on the underside of the armrests, which makes the user of the walker feel safe and in control. This is not like a transporter wheelchair. It has two propulsion wheels, so people can maintain their independence. It also folds up so it can be easily transported. Because it’s made of aluminum, it’s lightweight. In fact, all of the products used to make it are waterproof, so it can even be taken into the shower!
We created this product for our former teammate, so that she felt more comfortable both emotionally and physically. As soon as she is ready to begin walking again, we want her to have the option to use our device to go back and forth as needed and be able to maintain her independence.
In the case of many elderly people, such as the great uncle mentioned above, this invention would help increase their activity level, self confidence, independence, and ability to go places and be more social. In a sense, this invention has the capability of extending lives and making them more enjoyable!