Multidisciplinary Senior Design

Project Readiness Package

Project Title: / All-Terrain Walker
Project Number:
(assigned by MSD) / P16012
Primary Customer:
(provide name, phone number, and email) / Al Sigl; Daniel Meyers; 585-442-4102; ; negotiable
Sponsor(s):
(provide name, phone number, email, and amount of support) / Al Sigl; Daniel Meyers; 585-442-4102; ; negotiable
Preferred Start Term: / Fall 2015
Faculty Champion:
(provide name and email) / Adam Podolec
Other Support: / CP Rochester: Epilepsy Pralid; MS Society
Project Guide:
(assigned by MSD)
Adam Podolec / 6/9/2015
Prepared By / Date
Received By / Date

Project Information

* Overview:

Many individuals have difficulty walking and need the assistance of a walker due to a plethora of medical conditions. Walkers vary widely in price- the cheaper end of the spectrum are not durable and those that are reliable are clunky, heavy, and expensive. Some users are looking for walker that will allow them to traverse terrain more rugged than a sidewalk, like a hiking trail. Currently there is not an all-terrain walker on the market that allows users to traverse hiking trails. One client currently uses something developed at home. The walker is composed of two elongated poles held between two people facing in the same direction; in between the poles is a chair that helps moderately support the user’s weight, allowing the user and the individuals holding the device to traverse more rugged terrain.

Some similar existing products are available commercially:

Trionic Veloped: http://trionic.us/index.php is designed for rough surfaces and travel over obstacles up to 13cm high

Beach Walker: http://www.beachwheelchair.com/walker.htm is designed to roll on the beach – ravel over sand is different than travel over obstacles, in that the challenge isn’t uneven terrain as much as it is travel over soft/changing ground conditions.

Kneerover All Terrain Knee Walker: http://www.kneerover.com/product/kneerover-all-terrain-knee-walker/ This is not a traditional walker, but one that the user rests his or her knee on. It’s designed for all-terrain use.

The first iteration would be to develop walker that would allow a user to easily navigate moderately difficult terrain, thick grass, snow, sand, hills and inclines. A second iteration would aim to take on more difficult terrain like a rocky hiking trail, similar to what is seen in Rochester's Mendon Ponds Park.

* Preliminary Customer Requirements (CR):

·  Light weight

·  Price comparable to other ruggedized walkers

·  Provide a firm base for a user to move their body to

·  Easily moveable

·  Fits in a vehicle for transportation

·  Easy to store

·  Easy to use

·  Safe

·  Can traverse local hiking trails

* Preliminary Engineering Requirements (ER):

Customer Requirements / Engineering Requirements / Specifications
Lightweight/portable / Total weight of walker / <15 lbs
Price / Total cost of materials / <$2000
Durable Base / Max user load accommodated / Must bear up to 250 lbs
Folds for storage / Folded volume / Length x width x height (in)
Folds for storage / Time to fold / <20 sec
Folds for storage / Time to deploy / <20 sec
Safe / # pinch points / 0
Safe / Maximum obstacle height before tip / Standard curb height
Safe / Force to engage brake / <1 lb
Can traverse hiking trails / deployed width / <24”
Safe / Distance traveled with emergency brake engaged / <1”

* Constraints:

·  Budget must not exceed the prices of comparable rugged walkers

* Project Deliverables:

Minimum requirements:

·  All design documents (e.g., concepts, analysis, detailed drawings/schematics, BOM, test results)

·  working prototype

·  technical paper

·  poster

·  All teams finishing during the spring term are expected to participate in ImagineRIT

† Budget Information:

potential concepts may include the following items:

Bike shocks: $50-several hundred dollars x multiple wheels

Hand brakes: $15-$50

Inflatable tires: $25-$100 x multiple wheels

Estimate $750-$1000 to build final prototype, not including preliminary mockups, testing, and manufacturing costs (welding, custom machining that requires outsourcing)

* Intellectual Property:

There could be patent potential on the device depending on the combination of techniques used to make it. Confidentiality of information will be needed to protect the privacy of the intended clients should any of the students choose to visit the clients.

Project Resources

† Required Resources (besides student staffing):

Faculty list individuals and their area of expertise (people who can provide specialized knowledge unique to your project, e.g., faculty you will need to consult for more than a basic technical question during office hours) / Initial/date
Environment (e.g., a specific lab with specialized equipment/facilities, space for very large or oily/greasy projects, space for projects that generate airborne debris or hazardous gases, specific electrical requirements such as 3-phase power) / Initial/date
Equipment (specific computing, test, measurement, or construction equipment that the team will need to borrow, e.g., CMM, SEM, ) / Initial/date
Materials (materials that will be consumed during the course of the project, e.g., test samples from customer, specialized raw material for construction, chemicals that must be purchased and stored) / Initial/date
Other / Initial/date

† Anticipated Staffing By Discipline:

Dept. / # Req. / Expected Activities
BME
ISE / 1 / User compatibility with device, ergonomics, safety
ME / 3 / Design of walker structure, design of braking system, design of suspension/drive system

* Skills Checklist:

Indicate the sills or knowledge that will be needed by students working on this project. Please use the following scale of importance:

1=must have

2=helpful, but not essential

3=either a very small part of the project, or relates to a “bonus” feature

blank = not applicable to this project

Mechanical Engineering

/ ME Core Knowledge / ME Elective Knowledge /
1 / 3D CAD / 1 / Finite element analysis
Matlab programming / Heat transfer
1 / Basic machining / Modeling of electromechanical & fluid systems
1 / 2D stress analysis / 1 / Fatigue and static failure criteria
2 / 2D static/dynamic analysis / 1 / Machine elements
Thermodynamics / Aerodynamics
Fluid dynamics (CV) / Computational fluid dynamics
LabView / Biomaterials
Statistics / Vibrations
2 / Materials selection / IC Engines
GD&T
Linear Controls
Composites
Robotics
Other (specify)

Industrial & Systems Engineering

/ ISE Core Knowledge / ISE Elective Knowledge /
Statistical analysis of data: regression / Design of Experiment
1 / Materials science / Systems design – product/process design
Materials processing, machining lab / Data analysis, data mining
Facilities planning: layout, mat’l handling / 2 / Manufacturing engineering
Production systems design: cycle time, throughput, assembly line design, manufacturing process design / DFx: manufacturing, assembly, environment, sustainability
1 / Ergonomics: interface of people and equipment (procedures, training, maintenance) / Rapid prototyping
Math modeling: OR (linear programming, simulation) / 3 / Safety engineering
1 / Project management / Other (specify)
Engineering economy: Return on Investment
Quality tools: SPC
Production control: scheduling
Shop floor IE: methods, time studies
Computer tools: Excel, Access, AutoCAD
Programming (C++)
RIT – Kate Gleason College of Engineering
Multidisciplinary Senior Design / Project Readiness Package
Template Revised Jan 2015