Modified Electric Scooter
By Bader, Scott; Blegen, Scott; NSF 2007 Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons With Disabilities, pp. 78-79Publication Date: 2010
Description of a modified electric scooter for a boy with bilateral upper limb amputation. The scooter was designed by students at the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department at North Dakota State University for a 9-year-old boy who had his arms severed by farm equipment and has learned to use the remaining upper arms for a wide range of tasks. Adhering to the boy’s request for a stylish scooter, the two-wheeled GoPed ESR 750 electric scooter was chosen to serve as the platform for the project. Custom modifications made included (1) foam grips for the handlebars for better grip and control, (2) modification of the post connecting the handle bars with the front wheel to allow height adjustments as the client grows; (3) positioning of the brake lever on the left handle to take advantage of the length and leverage available with the boy’s left arm; and (4) a modification of the speed control mechanism involving a replacement of the original throttle with a right-foot actuated controller. The throttle’s range of motion is parent adjustable, with initial settings limiting the scooter’s speed to less than 10 miles per hour.
Published by: Creative Learning Press, Inc. (Website:http://www.creativelearningpress.com)
Link to text: http://nsf-pad.bme.uconn.edu/2007/Chapter8,%20North%20Dakota%20State%20University.pdf
ISBN: 1-931280-12-6
