Prior Projects of the BREAK Program

Clicking on the TITLE for each project will open/download a PDF with project details. Projects with a by the date were particularly successful!
2022-2023 Project: fingers typing

Propose a 2022-2023 project!

Know someone that could use a custom assistive or rehabilitation device? Let us know their story and their need! In an organization that needs a custom assistive or rehabilitation device? Let us know what's needed and the impact it will have!

2021-2022 Project: CAD rendering of expandable box springs unit.

Home-Care Nursing Bed Lift

Home heathcare nurses must work with patients in the personal bed. These beds are low, risking back injury for the nurse due to the bending required. The BREAK team designed and built expanding "box springs" that raising the bed for ergonomic nursing care.

2021-2022 Project: CAD rendering of Spin Art device.

JCDS Spin Art Tools

The team had freedom to design an Art Tool activated by ONE BUTTON that would give the user control and creativity. This team chose to create a Spin Art machine with rotating palette and oscillating draw/paint tool. The user controls when the tool touches the canvas.

2021-2022 Project: CAD rendering of Plinko Art device and patterns produced.

JCDS Plinko Art Tools

The team had freedom to design an Art Tool activated by ONE BUTTON to give the user control and creativity. They created a Plinko machine (see also User Manual) with paint-covered marbles creating random traces. The user controls when marbles are released.

2021-2022 Project: Distance measuring LIDAR sensor mounted on wheelchair.

Wheelchair Safety Sensors III

After two teams struggled with sensors and code to get a reliable system, this team stepped back and did a lot of accuracy testing. They produced a single set of paired sensors that reliably detected both a far and near drop-off and turned on warning lights.

2020-2021 Project: Paint dispensor and tray unit for person with limited vision.

Art Tools for JCDS Client

A man with limited vision enjoys painting, but would get paint on his hands finding the desired color. The team created a paint dispensing and tray system with tactile feedback and audio prompts so he can more easily paint (see manuals for the tray, MP3 player, and speaker).

2020-2021 Project: Distance measuring LIDAR sensor mounted on wheelchair.

Wheelchair Safety Sensors II

This team attempted to refine and build upon the first prototype system, but found the sensors and code inaccurate. The team tested and troubleshooted both the sensors and code to get the warning system back into working order.

2019-2020 Projects: Power wheelchair in use, wheelchair with many bags attached, and nurse assisting patient in low bed.

List of 2019-2020 projects!

Here is a brief summary of 2019-2020 projects and calendar-year 2020 projects. They included the first attempt for a system to detect drop-off near a wheelchair and provide warning, basic wheelchair adaptations, and the first attempt to design in-home bed lift system.

2018-2019 Project: View of slide-outcutting board with cabinet door open.

Improved Access to Cooking!

Those with walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs have difficulty in the kitchen, because the counters are high and they can't sit facing the counter. A slide-out cutting board, that replaced a drawer, provided a convenient work surface to make preparing food easier.

2017-2018 Project: Wheelchair with transfer board stowed between the wheel and the arm rest.

Wheelchair Add-On Features

A second round of work on features to make transfers easier/safer for patient and caregiver. The adapations attempted include changing seat height, stowable foot rests, and a transfer board holder. The transfer board holder was most reliable and useful.

2017-2018 Project: CAD image of sorting tray and photo of workstation.

MDCS Packaging Station

To improving the ergonomics, speed and efficiency of small parts packaging tasks, a BREAK team design new workstations with adjustable eight work srufaces, gravity fed dispensers and sorting trays with a shoot to aid in bagging the parts easily.

2017-2018 Project: Conceptual hand drawing of lift design.

Floor-to-Standing Lift

The need was an easily transportable lift system for lifting adults with disabilities from the floor to standing. The solution approach was an inflatable with wedge-shaped sections that would sequentially inflate. Lack of lateral stability was an unsolved problem.

Calendar Year 2016 Project: Description of photo here.

Can a Paraplegic Work Dairy?

A teanager with paraplegia used a manual wheelchair and desired to help with the family dairy farm. Through a number of relatively simple dairy barn modifications and wheelchair modifications, access to working in the dairy was achieved.

2015-2016 Project: Family Riding in Accessible Train Car

Assessible Children's Train

A beloved and fun community icon is now wheelchair accessible. The new wheelchair accessible train car for the Spirit of Wamego means that ALL children and their families can enjoy a free ride on the city train. Also, watch the video

2015-2016 Project: Gloves and syringe parts stuffed in a plastic cup; a CAD image of an automated solution; a photo of the last prototype attempt.

JCDS Packaging Assistance

The goal was to design a semi-automated system to stuff gloves and syringe parts into a plastic cup, to improve productivity of piece-rate workers at JCDS. Multiple teams attempted the project (read reports 2015-2016, 2017, 2018), but none were successful.

2013-2014 Project:

The Wheelchair Vacuum

A floor vacuum for a power wheelchair
for employment opportunities (Tri-Valley)

2013-2014 Project:

Pull-Lever Wheelchair

Allows a quadreplegic to manually move
wheelchair for outdoor exercise

2012-2013 Project:

The Open Voice

Large-scale open/accessible repository for voice samples of dysphonic people

Example Projects Prior to Funds

Athletic Field Chair

Designed for use in Special Olympics throwing events (2002-2003)

Free standing, collapsable, and portable. Included footrest and reaction bar to increase throwing power. Easter Seals Capper Foundation kids loved it!

Energy Storing Orthotic

Modified hinged orthotic to improve
walking efficiency (2005-2006)

Thick bungees were added to an orthotic like this to help store the energy of at heal strike and assist with toe-off during walking.

for BREAK from NSF

Stroke Rehabilitation

Assistive device to help Physical
Therapists move weak leg (2008-2009)

The add-on to the safety harness structure allows the PT to move the leg by pulling cords, instead of bending to manually lift and position the leg.

Accessible Pedal Surrey

Removable "trailer" for wheelchair
user participation (2010-2011)

Students designed and built this add-on for a standard pedal surrey that allows the trailer be be attached to a 2-6 person surrey. Wheelchair users can ride along!