Custom Adaptation
Results: 562
A-Frame Ladder
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted A-frame ladder for a child with microcephaly, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and low muscle strength to use for strengthening exercises and promote standing and other mobility. The frame’s ladder rungs are made from 25 millimeter dowel and the four sides are made of pine and angled off at the top to avoid a sharp edge, The frame is painted a cheerful yellow. Each set of the two sides is hinged at the top and is locked
A2B Tricycle
The A2B Tricycle is a custom adaptation designed for children with upper and lower exremity disabilities to mount easily. The tricycle allows independent use for play, while also providing rehabilitation solutions. For now, it is just a prototype. But there is perhaps a wider market for it. Many of the design features – such as the two wheels in the front and the chest plate, which one could imagine lowering for a racing car effect – would be fun and functional for any child.
Abduction Blocks
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted abduction blocks for an individual with multiple sclerosis and hemiplegia to use to exercise. The progression of MS and after having a stroke this individual was no longer able to continue living on her own. However, she is determined to keep exercising and retain as much strength and mobility as she can. When attempting to walk after the stroke using support railings, she found that her right leg would cross in front of
Access Platform And Rail
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted access platform and rail for a child with cerebral palsy to allow her to access an interactive white board at her learning program. A young student with cerebral palsy participates in a learning program that is projected onto an interactive whiteboard. The children are then encouraged to choose answers on the whiteboard. Due to her cerebral palsy, the young girl's muscles are tight and tense making fine and gross motor take
Access Stairs
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted set of stairs to access a bed for a child with cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and vision and hearing impairment. The child required a raised bed with side railings to keep her safe at night, but it had to be easily accessible without caregivers having to bend over when caring for the child. The bed is 880 millimeters above the floor and has fixed railings on three sides; the railing on the fourth side slides up and do
Access Steps For Bathtub
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a teenage girl with short stature to independently enter and exit a bathtub. A stainless steel rail was installed along the side of the tub that extended five millimeters out from it. A three-step ladder was made of stainless steel tubing that clips to the rail for stability. The ladder also slides along the rail if needed. A trough of plastic downspout pipe clips over the tub to protect the tub edge from the ladder. Stair treads for the ladder were made of
Accessible Shelves For Freezer
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity weakness to access the shelves of an upright freezer. The freezer enabled the user to shop for food less frequently by storing large amounts; however, the user was unable to lift items from the back of fixed shelves or reach the back of the higher ones, limiting his ability to utilize the freezer capacity. The need was for shelves that slide out individually on rollers. Replacement shelves were created by heating and bendin
Adapted 2 wheeler bike
Adapted Battery-Powered Tricycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and lung disease, with a means of independent mobility. In consultation with the child’s therapists, a battery-powered Wind Rider tricycle was purchased and custom-modified to the child’s needs. First the existing foot switch was replaced with a hand switch. A control was also added that enables family members to regulate the maximum speed of the bike and limit the rate of acceleration. The socket
Adapted Cardboard Chair
The Adapted Cardboard Chair is designed for those individuals with lower extremity disabilities to sit in. This is an adapted chair made of corrugated cardboard, glued and laminated 5 layers of open boxes and then all cut out with a knife. Then the pieces were hot glued and taped in place. To finish the chair, it was covered it with paper mache and painted.
Adapted Classroom Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with neurological disabilities to participate in the classroom. This chair began with the standard classroom chair. Side supports were created from metal plates and fixed to a bracket underneath the seat. Covered rectangular foam wedges were later fitted inside the supports to hold the child in position and prevent the child's knees from splaying outward. Glides were also placed on the legs of the chair to make it easier to move on carpeted floors. T
Adapted Crib
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spinal cord injury to care for her infant as independently as possible. A standard wooden crib with drop sides was adapted. First, extensions were added to the legs to provide clearance for the wheelchair to roll under the crib. The extensions were secured with screws so that thee can be removed if necessary. Next the front drop side was removed and cut in half to provide two center opening gates. After the front corner posts were reinforc
Adapted Dining Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide seating with sufficient postural support to enable a young adult with Down syndrome to eat at a dining table. An existing dining room chair was adapted for this purpose by adding seat inserts. The padded back and seat inserts were built from 12-millimeter plywood and covered with fabric-covered foam. The seat insert was attached to the chair seat using screws and the back insert was attached with webbing straps, two around the back of the chair and one unde
Adapted Drum Musical Instrument
The Adapted Drum Musical Instrument is designed for individuals with one hand to be able to play the drum on a wheelchair tray with ease. The upper wood bar is removable to drum on the lower bar or the upper instrument. This would be good for a student who may only have the use of one hand and is unable to hold the instrument with the other hand.
Adapted Guitar
The Adapted Guitar is designed for use by those individuals with lower extremity disabilities to play on a tabletop or wheelchair tray. It is mounted on a slight angle.
Adapted Headset
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted headset for an adult with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and spinal fusion. This individual has limited mobility, can only lift her arms to her chest, and cannot bend her neck. She mostly relies on Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software since she can only type for a short time without pain; however, she is unable to put on or take off the microphone headset by herself. Designers observed that she was able to m
Adapted Hobby Craft Handle
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized adaptation of a carder handle used by an individual with gripping difficulties in her craft hobby of making items out of the hair of pets. In the process hand-by-hand process pet hair must be un-tangled using carders before spinning. Carders are curved rectangular brushes with bristles of kinked wire; they are used to pull clumps of hair apart and thus align the hairs. The handles on the carders were ½ inch diameter dowels, and
Adapted Paint Shooter
The Adapted Paint Shooter is designed for individuals with one hand to make art. It is one of those mega water guns, disguised, as no guns are allowed in school. It was one that runs with batteries and does not have to be manually pumped. It is adapted for use with a single switch and mounted on a lazy susan so it can move easily back and forth. This one has canisters the user can refill so they can be filled with different color paints and switched out.
Adapted pedals for bikes
Adapted pedals for bikes are custom adaptations designed for individuals with lower extremity disabilities to ride bicycles being able to keep their feet on the pedals. This is an adapted foot pedal for a child who is unable to keep their foot on a pedal. The pedal is enlarged by bolting on a wooden cutout of the sole of their shoe. An ankle hugger strap and a toe strap is added as well to the pedals.
Adapted Play Frame
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To custom adapt the height of a play frame for a child with multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual impairment, and developmental delay. The child’s current play frame provides her with stimulation and entertainment. The play frame consists of a square fabric base on which the child lies, and two hooped rods with padded covers which anchor in pockets on opposite corners of the square and cross in the middle. The child had ou
Adapted Potty Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with global developmental delays to use the toilet unaided. An existing Goanna potty chair was adapted to fit over the toilets in a school setting. Four lengths of 30-millimeter tubing with rubber stoppers in the bottom were fitted over the chair's existing legs. The extensions have two separate height settings. To enable the child to use the seat independently, a set of two wide steps were built. The framework was made of 19-millimeter stainless ste
Adapted Recreation Scooter
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: Provide affordable adapted recreational equipment for children with disabilities. In this adaptation, wider footplate and wheels were added to make it more stable and safer for children who need the extra support to help them balance. Under the sides of the wider footplate, wheel components from a set of roller blades were added. The spacing and placement of the added foot plate to the original one must be correct so that all six wheels evenly distribute weight. An ad
Adapted School Desk
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with neurological disabilities to participate in the classroom. This adaptation was based on a standard student desk with a torso cutout. The existing cutout was enlarged and the existing desk was sanded and revarnished. TITLE: School Desk and Chair. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no. 3, Spring 2001: p.16. PAGES (including cover): 2 2001.
Adapted Scissors
These Adapted Scissors are designed for people with grasping disabilities to use. They are mounted on blocks of plastic.
Adapted Sewing Machine Controller
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to operate a sewing machine. A plywood box was built to house the sewing machine foot pedal. Built into the box was a hinged flap and an inflatable blood pressure cuff attached to a plastic tube. The existing spring on the foot pedal was replaced by a weaker spring that is just strong enough to allow the pedal to return to the off position. When the user blows into the tube, she inflates the blood pressure cuff which presses on
Adapted Ski Pole
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with grasping disabilities to use a ski pole. A glove was specially sewn from a mitt to contain just two fingers. The fingers fit on either side of the post. The hand is held in place by the wide Velcro band around the arm and the wrist, which is made flexible by a rubber joint. TITLE: The Adapted Skipole. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/skipole1.htm. REF: The originator, Tom Jeary, can be contact
Adapted Spoon
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted spoon for an adult with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and spinal fusion. This individual has limited mobility, can only lift her arms to her chest, and cannot bend her neck. As a result, she has been limited in the types of foods she can eat since she could only use a fork. A temporary solution of taping a dessert spoon and a teaspoon together worked well but was unhygienic, and the tape would come undone over time. A perma
Adapted Squirrel Stander
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with cerebral palsy and a chronic lung disease to stand. This stander has a plywood base and radiata pine uprights and a fabric back. The base is adjustable so the frame tilts up to 10 degrees backward. The standard is equipped with a wooden tay with a small lip and Velcro strips in the center to hold toys in place. The tray can be attached as needed at any height using Cowdrey shelf brackets. The fabric back is made of Brezeway, fabric used for outd
Adapted Tricycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: Provide affordable adapted recreational equipment for children with disabilities. This adaptation starts with a heavy-duty trike. The main component is a child’s ride-along seat (usually installed on the rear of an adult’s bicycle) which serves as the seat. This type of seat can usually be picked up on the cheap at a garage sale or thrift store. The foot rest area is cut away from the seat to make the foot holders for the pedals. The foot holders are cut about an inch
Adapted Wing Chun Training Dummy
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted martial arts training dummy for an individual with cerebral palsy. A young man with cerebral palsy has an affinity for martial arts, learning all about Taekwondo from a young age but the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun really captured his imagination. Wing Chun is a form of self-defense and promotes awareness of the body. Students are encouraged to practice with a wooden training dummy to improve their form. As a result of h
Adaptive Cricket Bat
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted cricket bat for motorized wheelchair users to use in to play an adaptive cricket game. This adaptation of the game was developed by the Recreation Service at Northcott in Austrailia. A physiotherapist at Northcott contacted TADNSW to find out if it would be possible to create a cricket bat for individuals who use a wheelchair and have no upper body strength. The bat needed to be adapted and useable to attach to all the vari
Adaptor For Pool Lift
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spinal cord injury to transfer to a pool. An existing pool lift required an adaptor in order to use a spreader from an indoor lift. The spreader supports the transfer sling used to lower the individual into the pool. The adaptor was made from stainless steel wire and two thimbles purchased from a ship's chandlery. The wire was looped around the thimbles and long-handled tongs were used to crimp a metal loop around each pair of wires. TITL
Add-On Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a dining table for a young woman with mobility disabilities. The add-on table is made of a 5/8- inch plywood and resembles a card table with only two legs. The front edge of the table is attached and removable from the main dining room table with two sturdy hooks. The height of the table has been lowered to a more comfortable level and a semi-circle has been cut out to fit the young woman’s waist, allowing her to get up close. TITLE: The Add-on Table. WEBSI
Adjustable Chair And Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a small child with neurological disabilities to have a stable play area. Made of white pine plywood and coated in clear polyurethane, the table is height adjustable and has a torso cutout, enabling the child to move closer to the table and support himself/herself with his/her elbows while performing tasks with the hands. The chair is also made of white pine plywood coated with clear polyurethane and features a backrest, seat to floor height adjustability, an
Adjustable Rails And Backrest For Toilet
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with a variety of disabilities to use a toilet. The rails were made from discarded hospital bedheads and mounted to the existing metal wall clamps. The backrest was made from the pad of a telephone table and mounted to a piece of wood connected to two wooden clamps that fit over the rails. A T-nut on either side enables the backrest to slide backward and forward along the rails for adjustment to meet individual needs. A chest strap provides addit
Adjustable Sun Lamp Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with rheumatoid arthritis to access and position a sun lamp used to treat her arthritis. A stand was made from a wheeled table base with a hole drilled in the center. A piece of metal pipe is inserted in the opening. A holder for the lamp was made from two pieces of plywood bolted together with a gap between them. The metal arms of the lamp's existing base fit into the gap, holding it securely, but allowing it to be removed as needed. The holde
Adjustable Table And Chair For Child
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of the Rawson Adjustable Chair and Table for a child with spinal muscular atrophy type II. Made to dimensions to suit each individual client, the Rawson provides seating for children who need to maintain an upright and stable posture. The seat, armrest and table height can be adjusted in 25 millimeter increments so the child can have the optimum position for play, eating and learning activities over several years. For e
Adjustable Telephone Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adjustable phone support to enable an individual with limited use of one arm to have less difficulty operating her speaker-phone. A vertical adjustment is provided by clamping the frame to vertical copper pipes that are mounted to a wall with hose clips. The up and down motion of the bottom of the phone is adjusted by pivoting the wood mounting base piece around the horizontal three-quarter-inch copper tube at its top edge. Adjusting the rotati
Air Guitar Hero
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted version of “Guitar Hero” for individuals with upper limb disabilities or amputation to provide fun, entertaining and therapeutic exercise. “Air Guitar Hero” is an adaptation created by biomechanical engineer Robert Armiger and surgical roboticist Carol Reiley of Johns Hopkins University. The device translates the electrical impulses that occur between a muscle and the brain in the form of a guitar strum. Originally conceive
AmTryke 1410 Therapeutic Tricycle
The AmTryke 1410 Therapeutic Tricycle is designed for individuals with mobility disabilities to use. The AmTryke 1410 Therapeutic Tricycle is intended for early intervention. Its fixed drive helps children who might otherwise have problems making a full pedal rotation. The foot cranks are constantly in motion for full therapeutic effect. Coasting is not possible with a fixed drive; when limb motion stops, the bike does as well. Assembly required. One safety helmet included with purchase. ?Rolle
AmTryke ProSeries 1420 Tricycle
Anchored Joystick And Button Computer Control Input Interface
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To provide a child with cerebral palsey with a stable interface to control a computer. A commercially available joystick and large button is used in place of a mouse and keyboard to control a computer. A metal plate and screwed stud is attached to the bottom of the base of the joystick. A hole is drilled in the child's desk, and the stud is screwed into a second plate on the underside of the desk. A nut holds the assembly in place while the joystick is in use. The butto
Arm Assist
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation for an individual with weakness in his upper limbs. The individual was weakened to the point where he could manipulate his arm but could not lift the arm’s weight and therefore could not lift eating utensils to feed him self. A plastic sling is used to hold the individual’s arm, hung by a rubber bungee cord, affixed to an overhead arm on a swivel above the bed, and placed in a neutral position approximately an inch or so
Arm/leg Ergometer Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted arm/leg ergometer for use by an individual with mobility disabilities and who uses a wheelchair. The article outlines a simple adaptation of an ergometer for use by those with lower extremity disabilities. The modification involves using PVC tubing to adapt an existing exercise ergometer. The first step to modify an existing arm/leg ergometer is to remove the seat. PVC tubing is purchased and then cut to construct one meter
Ashmobile, The
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable individuals who use walkers or crutches to ski. This device was designed to enable the user's hands to assist the skier's legs in supporting the body and also in executing turns. This was accompished by fastening a bar across the front and back of the skis in a manner that held them in a "snowplow" position but still allowed them to edge. At both ends of the front bar is a hole through which passes the outriggers (small skis on the end of standard cr
Assistive Device For Trumpet
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities and who used a wheelchair to play the trumpet. The trumpet was modified to allow the valves to be triggered electrically, through use of solenoids attached to the trumpet valves. A frame was built to mount the trumpet, switches, and necessary control circuity to the subject's wheelchair. The switches were positioned on the frame to permit their operation with wrist, knee and foot. The frame was made to be
Attendant Caller
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable a child with muscular dystrophy to summon assistance. A bicycle red LED light with a steady mode was purchased and opened up. The wires were fixed to points that would turn the lights on and off. Wires were then run to the outside of the light and connected to a micro switch (a limited pressure switch). The light was then mounted to the side of the back of the child's powered wheelchair using the standard bicycle mounting clamp that came with the light
Attendant Caller 2
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable a child with muscular dystrophy to summon assistance at night while at camp. A cast off vibrating pager was modified by attaching very long lead wires that run to a micro switch, so when the father accompanies his son to camp, the child can page his father during the night instead of calling and waking the other campers. The child has the microswitch, and the father runs the wires across the room to his bed and wears the pager in his pocket. TITLE: Th
Awning Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with limited strength to raise and lower awnings on the windows of a home. The western windows of the home were fitted with two-meter wide canvas awnings with steel fittings. The block-and-tackle system for raising and lowering the awnings was created using three-strand nylon anchor rope and stainless steel pulleys, all purchased from a boat shop. The lower pulley is fastened securely to an eyelet mounted on the brick wall of the h
Baby Carrier
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a muscular disability resulting in limited strength to carry her infant. Lightweight plywood was used to build a carrying box sized so the base fit on the steps of the individual's home. The box is equipped with small rear wheels on the base, a long U-shaped handle made of copper tubing, and straps to hold the baby in the proper position. With the baby secured in the box at the bottom of the steps, the user steps up one step and rolls the
Balance Low Step Through Bike
Ball and T Grip Paint Brush Holders
These Ball and T Grip Paint Brush Holders are designed for artists with grasping disabilities to make it easier for them to hold paint brushes. These paint brush holders have been made with a ball grip and a T grip to make them easier for a child to grasp. The user can cut the paint brushes off short to make them easier to use. The paint brushes can be removed for easy cleaning or to change the color of the paint being used.
Balloon Packet Winder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with cognitive disabilities to package balloons. This device tightly winds packets of balloons for placement is show bags, give-aways, etc. The device has spindles which hold the bag and a wooden board with a spring underneath which holds the packets against the spindle. On the prototype model, the spindles were turned by hand using wooden rollers on each side. A later model, however, will replace the rollers with a treadle. The spindles will be
Barbara: the Talking AI Camera
The Barbara: the Talking AI Camera is a Do It Yourself adaptation of a camera that captions what it sees designed for those individuals with learning and blind and low vision disabilities to create and use.
Basket For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with mobility disabilities to shop and carry items. Designed for use on a variety of wheelchairs, the adaptation consists of a commercially-available plastic-coated wire basket that fits against the back of the chair between the rear wheels. The basket is secured to the chair with octopus straps to enable removal when not in use but keeping the basket from swinging when on the chair. TITLE: In the Basket. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no. 2,
Bassinet Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized bassinet modification for an individual with spinal cord injury and wheelchair user. The individual had bought a bought a bassinet with a wooden support frame which had cross members on all four sides just above the castors. These cross members meant that she wasn’t able to get her wheelchair very close to the bassinet. It wasn’t possible to completely remove the cross member on one side, as this would compromise the structure
Bath Bench
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bath bench for a young woman with cerebral palsy. The young 15-year-old girl's family moved into a house that did not have a walk-in shower but rather a large spa bath, which made access very difficult for her. Maintaining her privacy and independence while showering or bathing was very important to her. A TAD volunteer assessed the bathing area and created a custom design that used a bath bench. The bench that straddled bo
Bath Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide proper positioning for a child with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and lung disease while bathing. This "Fogarty" style seat has a molded plastic seat mounted in a frame made of plastic pipe. It is equipped with a pelvic belt and a T-bar to hold the child in place. TITLE: All in the Family. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 25, Number 4, Summer 2005. PAGES: 12-14. Number of pages: 4 (including cover).
Bath Steps For Child With Angelman Syndrome
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide customized bath steps for a child with Angelman Syndrome. To assist the child’s mother with reducing lifting and relieving back strain from assisting her daughter in getting into the bath, a step-stool with a rail on one side was designed. A 19-millimeter piece of steel tubing was used for the frame, and was painted with white enamel. The stool has a 720-millimeter high hand rail on one side, and no rail on the other side. No railing on one side allows the
Bath Transfer Stool
CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation for an individual with mobility disabilities to transfer into and use a shower in private and unaided while being able to fully close a sliding shower door. A piece of cedar was fastened to the legs of a bathtub chair using four stainless steel hose clips. A two-legged stool was constructed using half-inch MDF for the side plates and seat and spruce wood for the legs and leg braces. The two legs rest on the floor of the bathroom, and no
Bathing Frame
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bathing frame for a child with hyptonia, epilepsy, and paralysis. A parent with a child with disability was having difficulty lifting her child out of the bath and was having back problems as a result. The child was very difficult to lift out of the bath as his limbs are very floppy and he cannot hold his own head. A new bath support design was based on an original bath created for another person, making the frame construct
Bathroom Step Block
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted step block for an individual with cerebral palsy and developmental delays to use when using a bath seat. Caregivers had purchased a sliding bath seat which had adjustable legs, but the adjustment was not enough to cover the full 150 millimeter difference between the bath and the bathroom floor. It was originally suggested to extend the outside legs of the seat so they reached the floor. However, the seat was quite high and
Beach Wheelchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To design and build a lightweight, portable wheelchair adaptation for individuals with mobility disabilities to enjoy the beach. The Beach Chair is created by rolling up two half shells which are 5 inches wide to the diameter of the wheelchair wheels (in this case 24 inches). These were created using ¼ inch aluminum but lexan plastic is also suggested. On end of each shell has a lip overlap to ensure the two halves line up and fight snugly. Each half
Bed Access Stairs
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide safe access to a custom-built bed for a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments at a comfortable height for care givers. The Custom-built Child’s Bed (see also separate entry) is a standard-sized twin bed with a high wooden storage base designed to keep the child safe while providing a comfortable height for caregivers. To provide access to the bed for the child, a set of access stairs was built in two parts
Bed Access Support
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to transfer from a walker to her bed safely without assistance. The device was constructed from plywood that extended under the mattress and up the side] and a piece of 0.75 x 3 inch board that sits on the mattress top. Holes were drilled into the board to which a spare wheelchair armrest was attached. TITLE: The Bed Access Support. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/bedacc
Bed Enclosure
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with developmental disabilities with a safe sleeping environment and keep her from climbing out. The slatted base of the bed sat below the edge of te side rails. Runners were fitted to the inside of the side rails and the slatted base was raised to sit on the runners. The enclosure has independent support legs and can be unscrewed and removed if necessary. The enclosure has a wooden frame with two latched gates on each side. Sturdy, tranluscent whit
Bed Extension
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a bed extension for a hospital-style bed for a tall individual with acquired brain injury. A 150-millimeter extension with two metal bars was made that bolted into the existing holes at the top end of the bed base. A headboard, padded and covered with vinyl, was fixed at right angles to the bars. Straps with Velcro strips were used to fix the lower section of the mattress in position. This adaptation reduced the how often the individual’s position had to b
Bed Lifter
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable the existing bed of a young teen with cerebral palsy to be raised and lowered vertically to provide comfortable access for caregivers. The bed was an antique mahogany four-poster bed, which the young man liked, but which was of fixed height, making it difficult for caregivers to attend to his needs. A lifter was designed and built that would independently elevate the mattress and its base. The device was designed to fit beneath the bed and to lift the mattre
Bed Modification For Child With Angelman Syndrome
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized bed for a child with Angelman Syndrome. An evaluation of a standard IKEA bed already being used by the child resulted in the idea to turn the footboard into a gate. The customization had two parts: 1) the removal of the footboard and 2) the construction of an end gate. After removing the footboard, the end of the bed frame was strengthened with 19- millimeter plywood. The disassembled footboard was rebuilt to make a rigid end gate. The fitting
Bed Rail Padding
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To prevent an individual who has Huntington’s disease from injuring herself on the rails of her hospital bed. Made of wood, the rails posed a danger to the individual as she thrashes in her sleep and because she got her arms and legs trapped between the rails. The rails were removed and covered with two layers of foam rubber tubing. The rails were then covered with velour fabric by sliding the rails into pockets on the fabric panels. The rails were then reattached to
Bed Rails
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted bed railings to protect a child with cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and vision impairment from hurting herself by climbing out of bed. The parents had purchased a bunk bed set that had a potential for modification with a solid frame and clean sides making it easy to add attachments. Matching the style of the bed, three new rails were added with the fourth side fixed to the wall. Extensions were made for the head and foo
Bed Raiser
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable caregivers to assist individuals in and out of bed without bending. A boxed frame of plywood and chipboard was nade to elevate a wood-frame bed. The lengthwise edges were recessed toward the center of the bed enabling the caregiver to to get as close to the bed as possible. Detachable sidepieces slot into the bed frame to prevent the individual from falling out of bed. The sidepieces fit at the end of the bed when not in use. DIMENSIONS: The unit raises the
Bed Surround
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to a hospital bed frame for a young adult with a rare genetic disorder. A standard hospital bed with collapsible tubular steel rails was not ideal as the consumer was in danger of injuring himself due to involuntary movements. Placing the bed flush to the floor was not ideal for caregivers because it placed them at risk for back injury. A frame and net system was designed to attach to the existing hospital bed. Four metal posts are m
Bed Surround
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To prevent a child with intellectual, communication, mobility, and vision disabilities from leaving the bed unattended during the night. An enclosure for the bed was built using eight plywood panels covered in fabric-covered foam. Each panel is equipped with two metal handles on the back to enable the child's parents to remove one or more when assisting the child in and out of bed or when changing sheets. Three panels fit down each side and the bed has a U-shaped pane
Bed Surrounds
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bed enclosure for a child with global developmental delay and autism. The child outgrew her crib and her parents fitted her new bed with bedrails to prevent her from getting out; however, the child still managed to get out in the night despite being unable to crawl or walk. Concerned about the child’s safety, the family contacted TADNSW for assistance in creating bed surrounds for the bed to help keep the child safe. Three
Bedrail Adaptations
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis to raise and lower side rais on a home hospital-style bed independently. The rails were mounted toward the head of the bed and folded toward the foot of the bed, making it impossible for the user to raise or lower them while in bed. The rails were reversed and re-mounted toward the foot of the bed, enabling them to be opened from the top by the user. TITLE: Bathroom Assistance. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Numbe
Bedside Computer Monitor Magnifier
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a screen magnifier to make a computer monitor more easily viewable from the bedside for a person with quadriplegia. A permanent mount was created and added on to an existing computer stand and bedside table, enabling the individual to move the magnifier in and out to get the correct degree of magnification or flip it out of the way when closer to the screen while in a wheelchair. TITLE: Bedside Facilities. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 28, Number 2, Jul
Bedside Computer Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spinal cord injury to utilize a computer from a bed. The base of the stand is a standard overbed table on a wheeled base. A box of varnished plywood on a caster base was added to the table. The box was equipped with a central shelf, creating three surfaces on which to store computer equipment and other items. The original table surface was attached to the side of the box and is height adjustable using a trinut. The surface also rotates so
Bedside Computer Stand And Monitor Positioning System
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To position a computer screen to be easily seen from a bed, hold the monitor and printer, and store other computer-related equipment such as cables and CDs) for an individual with quadriplegia. Laminated MDF was used to make a stand, which has a base with locking castors, a range of drawers for storage at the bottom and shelves above them, one with larger space to hold the monitor. There is also a pull-out shelf above the drawers for a keyboard and can be used when i
Bedside Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide custom adaptation to bedside table for an individual with rheumatoid arthritis. A plywood box was constructed and screwed into an existing table top. The inside of the box forms a lower shelf, and the top forms the upper one. Inside the box, a shelf mounted on drawer runners was added. The shelf has a small hook-style handle in the center for easy, out of the way use. A small gap all the back of the box accommodates cords for various equipment. A larger hol
Bicycle Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child who has cerebral palsy to use a toy ride-on tractor. The child was able to pedal the tractor with guidance from a family member, but needed assistance with keeping his feet on the pedals and additional seated support. The existing seat on the tractor was replaced with a molded Sebel seat, raised from the seat platform to enable the child to comfortably reach the pedals. The seat was equipped with a pelvic seat belt with an easy-to-operate buckle. The
Bicycle Steering Bracket
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with a foreshortened arm without a hand to steer a bicycle. Made from a piece of sheet steel, the bracket prevents the user’s arm from sliding off the handlebar. The sheet steel was cut to size and curved, and wetsuit fabric was glued to both sides. The bracket was attached to the handlebar with two screws. TITLE: One-handed Tennis. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 24, Number 4, Summer 2004: p. 14-15. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Bingo Disks With Large Numbers
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with low vision to call bingo games. The numbers on the existing bingo number disks were too small to be read by an individual with low vision. A set of disks were cut from thick plywood using a jigsaw. The disk were painted and large numbers were placed on the disks using Letraset. A bar was placed at the bottom of numbers that could be confused with other numbers that look the same from the top and the bottom. The disks were then sealed with m
Bird Cage Walk
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair to transport a bird cage and related supplies. This wooden cart, or trolley, has a flat top shelf above a cupboard with handled doors, a push hadle at one end, and four casters with tires, rwo of which lock. The top shelf accommodates the bird cage and the cupboard provides storage for bird food, newspapers, and additional supplies. A clear lacquer finish enables easy cleaning. DIMENSIONS (WxLxH): 500 x 780 x 680 millimeters
Block To Raise Arm Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with rheumatoid arthritis to use an arm chair. This project involved building a wooden frame to elevate the chair while not causing the user's legs to dangle or interfering with the built-in footrest. The frame has a land set into the inside for the chair legs to rest on. The rim of the frame holds the chair securely in place and ensures that the chair cannot fall off the frame when the user moves. DIMENSIONS: 90 millimeters high with the land
Boccia Ball Ramp
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair and has only limited use of one arm to play boccia ball. The top of the ramp rests on the arms of the user's wheelchair and extends to the floor. To adjust the length of the run, a variable set of legs allow an assistant to raise the lower end of the ramp to various heights as directed by the player. The higher the ramp is raised, the shorter the run. At the top of the ramp, an adjustable support can be placed in var
Boccia Ball Ramp 2
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair and has only head movement to play boccia ball. The top of the ramp rests on the arms of the user's wheelchair and extends to the floor. To adjust the length of the run, a variable set of legs allow an assistant to raise the lower end of the ramp to various heights as directed by the player. The higher the ramp is raised, the shorter the run. At the top of the ramp, an adjustable support can be placed in various posi
Boccia Ball Ramp 3
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair and has limited movement to play boccia ball. The top of the ramp rests on the arms of the user's wheelchair and extends to the floor. The top of the ramp is on a swivel, enabling the user to turn the ramps to aim. To adjust the length of the run, the user changes the ball release position on the ramp. TITLE: The Boccia Ball Ramp 3. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/ramp4.htm.
Bow Maker
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of only one hand to form large bows for gift baskets. This simple jig acts as a second holding hand. Two one-inch dowels are placed about seven inches apart on a plastic platform laid on a sheet of Dycem to keep it from slipping and the jig and the pad are held in place with a one-hand clamp. A plastic spring clip is bonded to the base and rests against the right-hand pillar. This clip holds one end of the ribbon, which is the wi
Bowling Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide an individual with balance disabilities support while bowling. This support has a plywood base to which are bolted two upright lengths of steel water pipe.Two bends connect at the top to create an inverted U, which serves as a handgrip. The support is designed to be light enough to be moved as needed. DIMENSIONS: The base is 100 x 50 centimeters and the handgrip is 86 centimeters high. The upright pipes are 33.7 millimeters in diameter. TITLE: Bowling Along.
Bunk Bed Feeder Mount
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted feeder mount for a Kangaroo Pump feeder to a bunk bed for a child with Edwards Syndrome. There was no room for the feeder to be placed at the head of the bed; therefore, it was suggested that the child’s sleeping position be reversed. Despite the change in sleeping position the feeder could not be fixed directly onto the rails as they were too close together. A new bracket was added which holds the feeder just out from the
Bunk Bed Ladder Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized bunk bed ladder for a child with Edwards Syndrome. To protect the child from injury the bottom three rungs of the bunk bed ladder needed to be screened off by putting mesh on the inside. However, this would make the child’s sister unable to use the ladder rungs safely to climb into the top bunk. A new rung unit was created which completely covers the bottom three existing rungs. The new rung unit has mesh fabric on the inside,
Bunk Bed Rails
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create customized bunk bed rails for a child with Edwards Syndrome. A side rail for the bunk was created using a steel tube frame padded with foam and covered in strong white mesh fabric and held in place by canoe clips. The rail is mounted on two brackets which fit over the frame of the bunk base, and can be easily lifted in and out of the bed. This adaptation is strong enough to avoid damage to the frame and safe for the child should she bang ag
Burfab Communication Board
The Burfab Communication Board is a custom adaption designed for individuals with upper extremity and grasping disabilities to hold their communication board in place on a wheelchair. This is a portable communication board with a handle, covered on both sides with burfab (velcro friendly material). It is lightweight and can be carried by a child if need be to keep communication or schedules close at hand.
Caddy For Sewing And Knitting
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized free-standing caddy for sewing and knitting supplies for elderly individuals with heart problems and osteoarthritis. This individual had previously used a fabric storage bag fitted onto her favorite chair for her supplies. Her mobility needs changed and she obtained a new recliner-type chair and the bag no longer worked with this chair. A free-standing caddy was suggested to solve this problem. A wooden caddy with two posts an
Camera Fun
The Camera Fun is a custom adaptation designed for photography students to be able to use a point and shoot camera with ease. In the lid, there is a small piece of glue stick the designer glues to the top of the lid that corresponds to the button the user pushes to take a picture. When the user puts the lid on the box, the sponges (seen around the top edge of the blue box) hold the lid up so the glue stick is sitting just above the button. When the user pushes down on the lid, the stick hits th
Camera Holder
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with limited or no use of the hands to use a camera. This holder is made from Lexan plastic that is heated and bent to fit snugly over the user's hand. A Velcro strap (male) with a ring attached pulls around to a Velcro (female) pad to hold the camera firmly in place. The holder is screwed into the threaded hole on the camera used to mount on a tripod. A thin rubber rubber plate helps to anchor the holder to the camera or it can be more m
Camera Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with quadriplegia to hold and operate a digital camera. Made of steel, this mount is equipped with two foam-covered handles, one above the other. The user places the top handle in his/her palm and the bottom handle holds the hand in position, supports the back of the wrist, and can be rested on a stable surface as needed. The handles are attached to a frame that screws into the tripod mount on the bottom of the digital camera. The
Camera Holder 2
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with limited of the hands or of only one hand to use a camera. This device consists of a a clipless bicycle pedal fitted to a frame that loops over the user's shoulders. Two cleats are fitted to a bracket on the camera to enable the photographer to switch from portrait to landscape orientation, and the pedal clamps are adjustable for strength to accommodate a heavy or a light camera. The pedal can be tilted up and down to adjust the camer
Cane Handle
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To provide a better grip for a cane user. A standard aluminum cane with a crook handle has a small diameter slippery plastic handle. To provide a wider, more secure grip, the handle was wrapped with standard tennis racquet handle tape. TITLE: The Cane Handle. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/handke1.htm. REF: The originator, Benjamin Lewit, can be contacted at lewit@seas.gwu.edu.
Cane Holder For Walking Frames
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walker modification that allows an individual with balance, mobility and walking disabilities to easily carry and store a walking stick or cane to their walker. An elderly gentleman uses his walker with seat for extra support and the chair portion when he needs to rest. When shopping in some of the more crowded shops at the mall, the gentleman realized that being able to park his walker outside the store and use his cane fo
Cane Tip For Sand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who has had a stroke to walk in on the beach with a cane. The user found walking on the beach difficult because the cane tip sank into the sand. The solution was to use a cane tip of the type used by lawn bowlers. This tip consists of a standard rubber cane tip fixed to a wide circle of plastic, enabling the tip to stay on top of the sand. TITLE: Beach Advice. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 25, Number 4, Summer 2005. PAGES: 7. Number of page
Caregiver Call Signal
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with severe phyical disabilities to summon a caregiver. This device was created using a doorbell chime with a remote control. The chime unit is carried by the caregiver and the remote is used by the individual summoning assistance. Because the individual did not have enough finger strength to press the button on the remote, a socket with a long cord was attached to the remote and connected to a large, soft button that was accessibl
Carpeted Walker
The Carpeted Walker is a carpeted board added to a child's walker designed for children with lower extremity disabilities to keep their head up while using their walker. The carpeted board is added to the armrests of a child’s walker. This encourages them to keep their head up and to communicate with people they see while moving about the school. The communication button is velcroed onto the carpet and can be moved to a convenient spot for the user.
Carriers For Crutches And Tripod
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted crutches and tripod carriers for an adult with spastic paraplegia and oral dyspraxia. The crutch holder accessory available from the wheelchair manufacturer was too small for the tripod and would be difficult to import from the United States. The custom adapted design began by taking an aluminum base panel and bolting it to the anti-tip legs on the back of the chair. To make the holders for the crutches and the tripod, pla
Carrying Aids For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to keep essential items at hand while in his wheelchair. Three carrying aids were made and attached the left arm of the wheelchair. The first was a carrying pouch for a cell phone. Made of metal, the pouch is lined with vinyl to protect the phone from damage. The second was a small, flat metal tray to carry the remote control for operating the front door. Also added to the arm was a pocket made of vinyl to carry the hadset for
Cd Rom Loading Tool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with cerebral palsy to load and unload a CD-ROM disc from a computer. A suction cup was fixed to one end of a section of plastic tubing. Using the tube as a handle, the user presses the suction cup onto the CD while it is still in its case. Lifts the disk from the case, and guides it into the CD-ROM drive of the computer. Once the disk is in the drive, the user gently presses down on the CD while pulling up on the tube handle to remove the too
Cell Phone And Mini Keyboard Extension Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of only one arm to dial a cell phone and type on its mini keyboard extension. A holder in the shape of the phone and its extension was cut out of plywood, with an additional strip of wood at the sides and bottom to hold the phone in place. A strap with a pull-tight Velcro fastener was attached to the holder. The strap wraps around the user's arm and when the arm rests on a table or other surface, the phone and keyboard are steady for us
Chailley Cart
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized mobility cart for children with mobility disabilities such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus. This child is paralyzed from the waist down, and the only way she could move independently was to drag herself on her stomach across the ground. The Chailley Cart is designed as a mobility device for young children who cannot walk but have good upper body strength. The cart is made primarily of plywood. It has a winged back support and
Chair Base Plate
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted chair base plate for a child with multiple disabilities. The child is unable to sit on a chair without support and when she is at school,. she is either in her wheelchair or in a wood chair with a lap strap. Although the lap strap holds the child securely, the child can still rock her chair back and forth with a significant risk of toppling over. The child’s occupational therapist recommended that a base plate be fitted to
Chair Brake
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a motor neuron disability to transfer safely to and from a wheeled office chair with the aid of a caregiver. The office chair has a swivel seat and a standard five-leg star base with casters. During transfers the seat could swivel or the chair move. To stop the chair from moving, a standard spring-loaded doorstop with a metal pin and a rubber stopper on the end was bolted to a leg on each side of the base. The caregiver can push down on th
Chair Insert
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted chair insert for a child with global developmental delay and epilepsy. The child had outgrown his previous insert and a new version was required. The new insert has a plywood back set at a 10-degree recline, a plywood base and footrest, height-adjustable thoracic fins, and cushions made from fabric-covered, 25-millimeter foam. There are also a range of harness mounting points, and the child uses the chair with a waist harne
Chair Raisers
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities with access to an elevated cut-out table. The cruciform-shaped risers were made of 9-millimeter plywood and have vertical housings at each corner. The housings accommodate the full depth of the chair legs, but pine inserts were also made which can be dropped into the housing to further elevate the chair for taller children. DIMENSIONS: The vertical housings are 180 millimeters high. TITLE: Supporting Early Intervention. JO
Chair Support For Recliner
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide support for an individual with Parkinson's disease who leans to the right when fatigued. A Henley Twin Electic Recliner was custom-made to the user's measurements. Once the chair was complete, it was modified by adding thoracic fins to maintain the body in an upright position. The fins were mounted on brackets spaced 300 millimeters apart on a steel tube frame. The right-hand bracket, the side on which the user primarily needed support, could be moved up an
Chair Which Provides Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child to play in a sandbox. A large plastic bucket in which pickles were delivered to a fast food restaurant was washed numerous times to remove the pickle odor and was then cut to form a seat with a high back and sides. The front half was cut away in the shape of a "W," with the front indentations supporting and positioning the child's legs. The cut edges were covered with rubber padding and the seat was fixed to a circular wooden base for stability. A fo
Chair With Double Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with neurological disabilities to sit upright. Because of severe pain, the only comfortable position for the individual is with his legs completely curled up. A chair with essentially with a two-layer seat was developed. The upper section supports the user's buttocks and the lower section supports the legs in a curled position. The seat layers are mounted on a base made of one-inch square tubular steel. Castors at one end allow the chair to be
Chair With Glides
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual who has had a stroke to move under a dining table after sitting on a chair. A glide was attached to the bottom of each leg of a standard dining room chair. This enabled the chair to slide more easily on the carpet while keeping the chair stable when the user sat down on it. TITLE: Post Stroke Assistance. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 25, Number 2, Winter 2005: P. 10-11. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Champramp
The ChampRamp is a bowling ramp designed for use by individuals with balance, mobility, or lower extremity disabilities. It can be used while seated in a wheelchair or chair, or while standing. The unit allows hands-free placement of the ball at the top of the ramp, with smooth ball release and no ramp movement, shifting, or vibrations. There is a ball guide line on top of the ramp, with a front adjustable guide and operating instructions on the ramp and in the ramp handle. The main support is
Change Table
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted changing table for a mother with cerebral palsy. This individual wanted a changing table that she could use from a kneeling position and located a base that was the right height to be adapted. A table top was created from chip-board, with a 75 millimeter-high pine frame around the sides to keep the mattress in position. Two of the four sides are hinged so they can drop down 180 degrees, making it easier for the user to slid
Change Table Plus
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted change table for a child with developmental delays. The child’s parent requested a table which would cover most of the bath, but would still be easy and light enough to remove and store. The first thought was to build a table with a Melamine top mounted on folding legs, which could be removed when the bath was to be used for bathing. In the end, the simplest solution proved to work beautifully was a sheet of 9 millimeter MDF
Child's Bath Chair With Front Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To provide a child with developmental disabilities and a tracheotomy with support on all sides to prevent falls in the bath. The frame of the chair is constructed of heavy-duty PVC tubing joined with solvent bonding cement. The standard bath chair has parallel horizontal tubing sections as its base with a mesh seat stretched between them. Parallel vertical supports rise from the center of the base legs and U-shaped tubing sections padded with neoprene are attached to th
Child's Bed With 3-Piece Hinged Safety Rails
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To protect and restrain small children while they sleep in a comfortable environment which allows them free movement and visibility of their surroundings. The bed, which is designed to be placed with one side against a wall, has a fabric-enclosed foam pad mounted on the side that is placed against the wall and high head- and baseboards. On the side opposite the wall, there are three interconnected sections of slats that can be opened from the outside with the forward se
Classroom Chair Footstool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with neurological disabilities to participate in the classroom. This footstool has a plywood platform containing holes in one of the long edges through which the legs of the chair can be inserted. This holds the chair and the footstool together, reduces the chance of knocking the stool over, and keeps the chair and the stool in optimal position. The stool legs can be cut down in the future for continued use as the child grows. TITLE: School Desk and
Clothespin Straw
The Clothespin Straw is an adapted straw for those individuals with grasping and upper extremity disabilities to make it easier to drink from a cup without holding the cup or the straw. This would be a nice adaptation for children with visual impairments since the straw would not move. Also suitable for children who have difficulty picking up a cup to drink from it.
Coffee Break
Coffee Break is a custom adaptation to a coffee maker designed for those individuals with hand tremors to pour a cup of coffee. The team designed a conveyor belt coffee maker that makes the coffee the way the user likes it.
Commode Footstool
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized commode chair for a youth with cerebral palsy and developmental delay to use the bathroom. Since this individual is 14 years old, his parents did not want to purchase a commode chair only to replace it in a few years when he grows taller. The most suitable commode was too big as his legs would not reach the footplate. The child’s therapist requested a waterproof platform that would sit on the footplate and provide a stable rest
Communication Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a young woman with cerebral palsy and devwlopmental delays with a means of communicating. A small clock-style communicator that could be attached to the user's wheelchair was created. The device has a ferrous metal face, which accepts magnetic pictures, and an aluminum back. The scanning communicator is equipped with LED indicators which are controlled by a micro-controller which is programmed to move the LED light around the face and a timer set a slow spe
Computer Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide mobile seating at a computer for an obese individual with mobility and other disabilities. The chair is mad of 35 millimeter square steel tube with gusseted legs and four casters. The chair also features angled back uprights and curved back cross bars to provide optimum support. At the front of each arm are soclets for mounting a keyboard and mouse tray. The seat, armrests, and backrest have plywood bases with foam padding.The backrest pads are split in two
Computer Desk Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to access a computer desk. The modification to an existing desk consists of an insert made of medium-density fiberboard which fits into the front of the desk at the same height as the main part of the desk. The insert has a rounded cutout in the center to enable close wheelchair access to the keyboard and the screen. The user's elbows and the mouse are supported at the sides of the insert. Another cutout enables the user to ac
Computer Desk Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spinal cord injury to use his computer from his wheelchair. A purchased self-assembly desk was modified to accommodate a powered wheelchair. Two 100-millimeter-high panels were added to the bottom sides of the desk to increase the height and enable the user to get his feet under the desk. A plywood panel was added across the back to strengthen it and the shelf below the desk top was removed. A U-shaped notch was cut in the keyboard surface
Computer Work Station For Quadriplegic
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to operate a computer. This desk was deigned to accommodate an individual with C5 quadriplegia whose wheelchair seating necessitated his sitting with his legs outstretched. A desktop was suspended from a ceiling beam to eliminate legs that would interfere with the wheelchair. A track ball mouse was mounted on a flexible stand fitted to a clamp on the desk, which held it both vertically and rigid so it could be operated with a
Control K'nex With a Mobile Phone
Control K'nex With a Mobile Phone is a Do It Yourself project designed for those individuals with neurological disabilities to create a phone-controlled set of K'nexs.
Cot Modifications
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted cot modifications for a mother with cerebral palsy. This individual has balance disabilities related to her cerebral palsy and required a cot that she could lift the baby in and out from while in a kneeling position. The individual had an older-style steel cot with sides that slide down for access, but when the side was in the lowest position it was still above mattress height, and she could not reach over it to pick up the
Crutch Carrier
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized crutch carrier for a scooter used by person with post-polio syndrome. This device is created by cutting two 30 centimeter lengths of PVC tubing that are large enough in diameter to accommodate the lower part of the crutches while holding them firmly in position. Two tube clips are used to hold each piece of tubing in place, and are screwed through into the frame of the scooter seat back. TITLE: Carrying Crutches. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volu
Curling Guide
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to enable individuals who use powered wheelchairs to participate in curling (a game similar to shuffleboard). Since one hand was required to control the speed and direction of the wheelchair, this left the players only one hand with which to control the push rod and rock when two hands are required. The Curling Guide allows users to finely aim and control the forward motion of the rock. The guides are a quick connect/disconnect to th
Custom AAC for a Tabletop/Desk
Custom AAC for a Tabletop/Desk is a folding communication board/bookstand designed for those individuals with wheeled mobility and lower extremity disabilities to communicate with. It is covered in carpet to be velcro friendly. It can be used as a bookstand to raise the work up for the student to encourage posture. It can also be used as a communication board with velcroed pic syms or photos and as a stand to hold other communication boards.
Custom AAC for a Walker
Custom AAC for a Walker is an adapted communication device designed for those individuals with communication and lower extremity disabilities to communicate with. It is a carpeted board that has been added to the armrests of a child’s walker. This encourages them to keep their head up and to communicate with people they see while moving about the school. The communication button is velcroed onto the carpet and can be moved to a convenient spot for the user.
Custom Adapted Cot
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted cot/crib for a mother with muscular dystrophy who has difficulty bending and lifting. An adaptation was needed to a cot that is low enough for the mother to access from her wheelchair but tall enough for her chair to slide under and to access easily while standing. First the cot was raised onto timber pillars to lift it higher. A sliding door was cut in half to create two doors which open out at 180 degree angles. The doubl
Custom Adapted Crutch Holder
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted crutch holder for an adult with cerebral palsy. This individual works as a disability advocate and often spends most of her eight-hour work day at her desk. She was leaning her crutches against her desk just inside her office door; however, this was causing a safety issue since the crutches partially blocked the entrance and at times they would fall down and would be difficult for this individual to pick up. Based on a wood
Custom Adapted Footstool
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted footstool for an adult with cerebral palsy. This individual worked as a disability advocate and often spends most of her eight-hour work day at her desk. She had difficulty with her feet resting on the floor while sitting and would experience swelling and muscle spasms, particularly when she was tired. Commercially available footstools were ill suited. The custom adapted stool was created using lightweight plywood to constr
Custom Adapted Pram
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted pram (stroller) for a mother with arm amputation below the right elbow and back problems. The mother found it difficult and painful to push her baby’s pram as she had to stoop over to reach the handles due to her arm amputation. The mother’s physiotherapist became increasingly concerned by the arching and twisting that the mother's back experienced while pushing the pram. To stop the twisting, a design a handle extension fo
Custom Adapted Wheelchair Lawnmower
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted lawn mower for an avid gardener and an individual enjoys working on her garden and also uses a manual wheelchair. Since sustaining a spinal cord injury, a woman uses a manual wheelchair for mobility but as a result she is no longer able to push a lawn mower and propel her wheelchair at the same time. To create a wheelchair lawnmower, a string line trimmer was modified to operate similar to an upright vacuum cleaner, pushin
Custom Bath Seat
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bath seat for an individual with multiple sclerosis. After falling in the shower, this individual determined she needed some way of stabilizing herself when using her over-bath shower. Various devices suggested by her physical therapist provided to be unsuitable for the older-style bath that has a narrow lip on the wall side. A customized bath seat, which the individual could transfer on and off independently and was remova
Custom Bicycle Handle Bars
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To create customized bicycle handle bars for a child with her right arm approximately 3 inches shorter than her left arm and limited use of her right hand. The gear shift and rear break were moved from the right to the left handlebar. Then on the right handlebar a three-inch extension was built. At the top of that extension is a small ball and a padded platform on a swivel providing wrist support and assistance in gripping. TITLE: Custom Bicycle Handle Bars Stander. W
Custom Dining Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with short stature to sit comfortably while dining. A custom-designed wooden chair was built. The seat height is the standard 45 centimeters from the floor; however, the seat depth is shallower than is standard to enable her to sit comfortably and be supported by the chair back. The chair has a lacquered finish and an upholstered seat. A small matching wooden stool was also built, which the individual can use to step up to get on to the chair a
Custom Footplates
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted footplates for an electric wheelchair used by an individual with reduced mobility and strength. When this individual sits in her chair with the footplates at a comfortable height for her, they rubbed on the wheels, particularly when she was turning. Additionally, this individual did not have enough strength in her feet to push the footplates up out of the way when she wanted to get out of the chair. Sometimes a care giver co
Custom Highchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a highchair for a child in a body cast who is unable to be “seated” in a conventional chair or highchair. This adaptation is can be built around any standard chair. The dimensions are determined by the child’s and the cast size as well as the chair type. The clamp arrangement in back means the adaptation is firmly held in place, yet easily removed with no permanent damage to the chair. The platform height is set so t
Custom Motorized Trikes
Custom Motorized Trikes are powered adult tricycles designed for use by individuals with mobility or lower extremity disabilities. Motorcycles and sidecars are custom converted to motorized tricycles with hand controls that eliminate shifting with the left foot. Honda and Harley Davidson models can be converted using Motor Trike conversion kits. OPTIONS: Kliktronic electronic shifter; Champion reverse gears; Champion EZ-Steer; trailer hitch dock.
Custom Swing
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted swing for a child with muscular dystrophy (MD). The child wanted to play on the swing set in his backyard, but he had difficulty maintaining his posture and staying upright and balanced. After an initial evaluation, two TAD volunteers created a design for a swing that would suit the child and fit the families’ swing set. The design incorporated a tilt in swing seat that allowed gravity to support the child’s upper body when
Custom-Built Child's Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a safe bed for a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments at a comfortable height for care givers. The standard-sized twin bed has a raised base and heavy-duty pine posts that support fixed rails on three sides. The rails on the fourth side slide up and down, with the weight taken on counterbalanced springs similar to those on a window sash. The rail is held in the raised position with bolts and a covered cat
Custom-Designed Shower Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable caregiver -assisted showering of an adult with severe multiple disabilities. This individual is unable to sit independently and cannot use a conventional shower chair due to scoliosis and hip positioning issues. The chair was built with the narrowest possible width to accommodate maneuvering in narrow areas of the home. This chair has a 22 millimeter zinc-dipped, powder-coated steel tube frame with triangular struts for added durability and stability. Caster w
Customized Cup
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized cup for a young adult with developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and vision impairment. After experimentation, a physical therapist determined the length of a cup from which the user could drink safely. A Doidy cup, which is used to teach babies how to drink from a rim rather than a spout, was adapted to allow the user to easily hold the cup. New handles were created that are 3 centimeters away from the cup rather than the curre
Customized Double Sized Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized bed for children with multiple disabilities. The customized bed was created for twin boys who have multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, developmental delays, and vision and hearing disabilities. Caregivers wanted the two boys to be able to have shared sleeping arrangements due to the therapeutic benefits seen as a result of the boys' emotional bond. Additionally, the customized bed was to be placed in a family room rather t
Customized Electronic Stroller
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized electronic wheelchair (herein referred to as stroller) for a 10-year-old boy who has spinal muscular atrophy. Due to the nature of his condition, the child prefers to remain horizontally positioned, and the stroller design accommodated that. The electronic stroller can be manually pushed or controlled electronically. The user interface for the electronic controls includes a single touch button that the user can press whenever t
Customized Four-Wheel Bike
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide mobility for a child with Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy. Although the child has a wheelchair, it proved difficult to maneuver in the house and did not provide any lower extremity exercise. It was discovered that a four-wheeled bike without pedals worked well for him, allowing him to propel the bike with his feet. However, commercially-available models were not strong enough for daily mobility use, so a custom model was built. The forks and handlebar
Customized Headpointer
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with cerebral palsy to use a headwand to operate a computer without interfering with her hearing aid. Her existing commercially-available headpointer was made of rigid plastic and could not be modified. A metal headpointer was attached to a soft leather flyer's helmet which protected the hearing aid. Perforated inserts were added to the helmet over the ears, enabling the user to use the headpointer and the hearing aid simultaneously. TITLE: Cu
Customized Platforms For School Environment For Individuals With Dwarfism
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide customized platforms for various classroom environments for individuals with short stature. Platforms were needed for at least three different classroom environments and needed to be light and easy to move around the classroom. The platforms were mass-produced by cutting tubing to make two of each design, with the hand rails and legs in one U-shaped piece in most cases. The platform bases were made from plywood, painted white, and anti-slip strips were adde
Customized Shower Seat
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized shower chair for an individual with campomelic dwarfism and intellectual disabilities. This individual required a caregiver to bathe her but without getting water in her ears. Previous methods and adaptations were not useful as they required the assistance of another individual and/or they were hard on the care giver’s back. This customized adaptation is modified version the “Matilda” bath seat design which rests on a bath stan
Customized Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized table with a top level for a laptop computer and a lower slide-out lockable tray for a keyboard for persons with visual impairments, diabetes, and mobility disabilities who use a manual wheelchair. The table top and tray are made from plywood with pine surrounds, and the legs are solid maple. The legs have lockable casters so the table can be easily moved and stored when not in use. The tray slides back and forth in slots on either side, and i
Cut-Out Table And Foot Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities with a work and play surface. Using an existing round table as a base, a removable square tabletop with a cut out in the center of each side was designed to be clamped on. Made of 18-millimeter (mm) thick MDF, the corners of the top were rounded and wooden cleats were fitted under each of the four sides. The cleats are turned and locked with T-bolts to secure the square top to the table. A platform of 9-millimeter plywood
Cutting Board
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with no use of the fingers to use a heavy, sharp knife. The knife is mounted to a universal joint made from quarter-inch Lexan plastic (lexan). The unit is attached to the cutting board with a quarter-inch stainless steel carriage bolt. The knife can then be swiveled from side to side, raised and lowered, and sawed in a back and forth motion. In some applications various adaptations to the handle can interface with a support worn on the h
Cutting Board For Graphic Arts
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with scleroderma to cut mats, foam board, fabric, and other materials used in graphic arts. The board consists of a plastic cutting mat mounted on a wooden board with a spring-loaded metal strip across the top and down the left side. The user slides the material to be cut under the strips and tightens them using an attached tri-nut. This holds the material in place and enables the user to cut it without danger of cutting her fingers. TITLE: Cut
Cycle Rack
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a hand-propelled cycle wheelchair to transport it to cycling trails. A solution was developed that enables the individual to load the cycle, one end at a time, from his wheelchair onto a rack attached to a hitch on the back of his car. A short tubular bracket was attached transversely to the frame of the cycle at the center of gravity. A carrier pin was mounted to project horizontally from the hitch bracket; the pin engages with the tu
Desk And Television Cabinet
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To prevent children and adults with cognitive disabilities and poor impulse control from throwing the desk and television. Made of laminate for durability and ease of maintenance, this wall-mounted corner desk features a return on one side and a television cabinet bolted to the corner section. Wide support legs extend to the floor at either end and in the center. Loxson bolts anchor the desk to the wall and the cabinet to the desk. The cabinet is divided into two secti
Developmental Youth Trike - Freewheel
The Developmental Youth Trike - Freewheel is a tricycle designed for children ages 3 to 8 with mobility disabilities to ride. It features the heavy-duty construction of an adult tricycle in a scaled-down model for children. Features:
Device For Removing Staples
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of one hand to remove staples. A steel tube with a curved piece of steel at one end sits between the user's thumb and index finger, with projecting rods further down. When the user curls his/her fingers around the rods and pulls them up, two steel jaws at the bottom of the tube are activated to slide under the staple and pull it out of the paper as the edges of the tube descend to hold the paper in place. TITLE: Office Assistance. JOU
Device To Access Swimming Pool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide swimming pool access for a person with intellectual and physical disabilities. A 24-volt solar-charged pool hoist from Australian manufacturer Wymo was chosen for this adaptation. However, when lowered into the pool using the hoist, the user needed to be supported while she was removed from the sling. She also needed support during the reverse process of putting the sling back on when she was being taken out. A “landing bay” was made in the pool for the ind
Device To Assist In Reaching Stove Knob
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility and upper extremity disabilities to safey access the knobs located on a panel above and behind the burners of a stove. A device was created using a piece of standard PVC pipe with a stopper at one end and a thread at the other end which fits precisely over the splines on the stove knobs. To make the thread, a piece of brass was machined on a lathe to match the knob profile. Twenty-four splines to match the knob were then machined
Device To Enable An Individual To Feed Himself
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with neurological disabilities to eat independently. This chair has an armrest for the user's right arm made from U-shaped PVC half-pipe.The armrest is attached to an outer sleeve that moves up and down a central steel post attached to the chair platform. A cast-iron window weight acts as a counter weight to render the user's arm weightless. A foot pedal connected to a system of pulleys and levers underneath the chair platform raises the user's
Device To Flush Toilet
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized toilet flushing device for use by person with osteoarthritis. The adapted mechanism is designed to operate the two flush buttons easily. A mainly stainless steel frame, with three supports holds the frame in place just above the two flush buttons. The three supports are a commercial suction cup which fastens to the tiled wall behind the toilet, and two vertical legs made of small-diameter pipe, that sit on the porcelain of the cistern. Two hori
Device To Flush Toilet
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a teenage girl with short stature to independently flush a toilet with a push-button flush mechanism. A long lever was fashioned that enables the user to operate both the full- and half-flush buttons. The device consists of a horizontal stainless steel rod housed in a stainless steel casing. At one end, the rod is fitted with a long, flat handle which the user is able to push. The other end of the rod is bent into a vertical position and the point, which is
Device To Measure Pincer Grip
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a therapist to measure the pincer grip of individuals with quadriplegia in order to devise a way to increase muscle tension. The device consists of a very sensitive force transducer, which can measure the skightest of grips, connected to a digital display. The device was made using a small commercial load cell attached to a six millimeter aluminum strip. When the cell was squeezed against the strip, it provided a reading of force in grams on a connected digi
Device To Tilt Wheelchair Backwards
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To tilt the wheelchair backwards during hair washing and perming. Once the sink water discharge point was lowered by a plumber, a platform was constructed to tilt the wheelchair backwards. The hinged platform was made of steel angle and 12 millimeter plywood and is raised and lowered using a standard scissor car jack. A belt of the type used to secure wheelchairs for vehicle transport is bolted to the higher end of the platform. A removable ramp at the lower end provi
Dialysis Machine Alarm
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with renal failure and a hearing disability to recognize and respond to an alarm when overnight dialysis treatment is disrupted. An individual with renal failure who is hard of hearing needed to be able to recognize and respond to an alarm if treatment was disrupted due to accidental disconnection of tubing or blocking of tubing. The audible alarm on the machine was of a frequency that the user could not hear. Four metal blocks were used to rai
Dice Tosser, The
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to play games requiring dice throws. A wooden box was built with a circuit, a single solenoid, a plug-in 1/8-inch jack receptacle, and a battery. The dice are placed on the small circular platform. The solenoid, when activated by a pressure switch, pops up and the dice are randomly tossed. TITLE: The Dice Tosser. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/dice1.htm. REF: Th
Digital Camera Mount And Control Device
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide an individual with cerebral palsy a customized, digital camera mount, and control device. The patron was unable to avoid moving the camera when she operated the shutter, so her shots were blurred. The first solution was to isolate the triggering mechanism from the camera; but today’s digital cameras lack the remote triggering capacity that film cameras have. A “camera remote shutter release” was the solution. A release mechanism consisting of solenoid which
Dining Chair Securing System
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To prevent chairs around a dining table from being moved by a child with developmental disabilities. The system involves three straps, two at each end of the rectangular table and one in the center. The end straps are bolted to the table legs at either side and run across the table and through the side arms of each chair. The middle strap runs across the surface of the table and around the other side of the chairs. Unbuckling one side strap and the center strap frees th
Dining Chair With Torso Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide support while eating for an individual with Parkinson's disease who leans to the right when fatigued. The dining chair was created from a standard office chair with a high back and a central metal back post. Because the chair was intended only for use over short periods, a single thoracic fin was added to adapt the chair, rather than the usual pair of fins. A plywood mounting plate was fixed to the right armrest and the back of the seat with metal brackets.
Dirt King Child Tricycle
The Dirt King® Child Tricycle is designed for individuals with mobility disabilities to ride. Recommended for ages 4-6. The Dirt King® Child Tricycle is strong, sturdy and good for children just getting started. The Dirt King® Child Tricycle has all-terrain pneumatic tires mounted on heavy-duty steel rims with 5/8-inch steel ball bearings. The adjustable seat and tilting handlebars allow the tricycle to adapt to the growing youngster and fun exercise. Good performance on the rugged ground with i
DIY Easy To Use Mounted Scissors
These DIY Easy Mounted Scissors are designed for those individuals with upper extremity disabilities to cut with.
DIY Tennis Ball Pencil Grip
The DIY Pencil Grip is a do it yourself writing aid designed for students with upper extremity disabilities to learn how to write ergonomically. It is made out of a tennis ball. Instructions below.
Dressing Stool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who has had both a stroke and a hip replacement to put on a shoe and an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) independently. A footstool was built of nine-millimeter plywood with an upright piece attached to a base piece at a 90-degree angle and both pieces attached to legs at approximately a 30-degree angle. The back piece was equipped with a stop that outlines the shape of the user’s shoe. A strap holds the shoe in position. The user places the shoe, wit
Drink Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with severe phyical disabilities to carry beverages. A chrome-plated curtain rod was used to make a vertical tube system that fits into brackets installed on a wheelchair. A horizontal crossbar supports a plastic container which, in turn, holds a cup or glass that the user can access with a straw. TITLE: Easels, Calling Systems and More. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 24, Number 4, Summer 2004: P. 16-17. PAGES: 3 (including cove
Drip Bike for Children
Drip Bike is a custom adaptation designed for use by children who are required to be connected to IV (intravenous) line for vital fluids and medication. The designer modified a tricycle to allow the user to ride around while remaining connected to the IV.
Earplug Chain Fixture
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted assistive device for use by CW Resources, a nonprofit organization in Britain, Connecticut to assist their employees with disabilities in the assembly process of earplug fixture kits for the Department of Defense. The assembly of the earplug kits required the insertion of a small chain into the case as part of the assembly process. It was difficult for some employees with disabilities to participate in this work task as the
Easel
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To create an easel to enable an individual with quadriplegia to engage in creative painting. Made of plywood, the easel consists of a base that sits on a table and a board that is hinged to the front of the base, and a wheel on to which the painting is mounted. The wheel allows the painting to be rotated on the board. The two-piece base consists of a fixed piece at the bottom and a sliding piece above, with Teflon disks in between to ensure the top piece moves easily.
Easier Painting
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted easel and head mount for artists with cerebral palsy who have limited hand/grasping function. A new head mount was created after evaluating the consumer using the inner mechanism from a welder’s helmet, which has a tensioner in the back to ensure an exact fit. A small brass plate was riveted to the front, taking care to preserve the frame’s cloth surround so that the individual’s forehead was protected. Onto the plate, a
Easy Access Drawers
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To make the contents of a drawer more readily accessible to people who cannot reach into the drawer or see its contents. Remove a portion of one side of a drawer so a person can reach and see into the side of the drawer. TOOLS: Saw. SKILLS REQUIRED: Woodworking. TITLE: Easy Access Drawers. WEB SITE: Assistive Technology Solutions at http://www.atsolutions.org/devices/easy_access_drawer.htm. REF: Assistive Technology Solutions can be contacted at PO Box 3071, Bur
Elbow Support For Wheelchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted elbow support for a wheelchair user with hemiparesis following stroke. Following a stroke this individual experienced muscle weakness in her left arm which also affected her sitting balance. When sitting in her Sunrise Breezy wheelchair, her left arm would slip off the narrow armrest and she would fall sideways. Working with her occupational therapist, a commercial project was tried as a solution but proved to wide for th
Electric Blanket Control
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to control the temperature of an electric blanket. This project was designed to enable the user to regulate the temperature of the blanket within a narrow predetermined range. A commercially-available electric blanket was purchased and a commercial thermostat was added to the blanket's existing controls. The thermostat sits in a separate plastic box with a dial control for the temperature. Using the original transformer box, t
Electric Wheelchair Power Socket
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with communication disabilities who uses a powered wheelchair to power a laptop computer with augmentative communication software using the wheelchair battery. Speech software was needed during school hours; however, the computer battery did not have sufficient capacity to meet the demand. To be heard in class, powered speakers were also needed, which further diminished operating time. A portable solution was necessary to enable the speec
Electrical Switches
DO IT YOURSELF" ENTRY --- PURPOSE: Switches for use by individuals with mobility or neurological disabilities. Mel Nowland, a retired engineer, has designed many types of electrical switches for people with limited mobility, using easily found materials such as soap dishes and Tupperware, including eye-blink, two-handed, voice-operated, and pillow switches. AUTHOR: Wechsler, K. TITLE: Doing It Yourself. JOURNAL: Quest. WEB SITE: http://www.mda.org/publications/Quest/q113diy.html. REF: Vol. 11, N
Elevated Crib
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a spinal cord injury to care for her baby. A standard wooden crib with a drop front was purchased and adapted. First the legs were exended using matching wood to provide the necessary wheelchair clearance. The drop front was then removed and cut in half to form two gates. Once the front corner posts were reinforced with steel brackets, the gates were attached with swinging bar hinges. The gates stay open until they self-close after an init
Elevating Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with muscular dystrophy to rise from a chair independently. The user required a chair that would raise him almost to a standing position and enable him to wiggle off the seat while adjusting the height as needed. A commercially-available swiveling, reclining armchair was purchased and mounted on a castored steel base equipped with a motor, gearbox, and power screw. A square metal tube frame was added to the base to support the chair, retaining
Elevator Button
The Elevator Button is a custom adaptation to an elevator (without violating its warranty) designed for those individuals with muscular dystrophy to voice activate elevator buttons. This product was invented at a Tikkun Olam Makers makeathon in the District of Columbia. Makers designed shelves that can go up and down, and then slide out for John to reach his games or treats and also created a voice-activated system to activate the elevator without violating the elevator warranty.
EnChroma Lenses
EnChroma Lenses are glasses for people who are color blind that enable them to see color. They work through a complicated algorithm that adds and subtracts the number of cones in the retina of the wearer's eye.
Equipment Accommodation For Sandblaster
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a sandblaster with repetetive motion injury to continue working. The standard sandblasting hose requires that a switch be pressed and held down the entire time it is in use. To enable the user to operate the device without the continuous use of force, the trigger switch was replaced with a spring-loaded toggle switch. A ball was inserted to push the toggle to the on position and hold it there. The ball was attached to a chain on the user's wrist. If the hose
Exercise Bike Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis to use an exercise bike. The individual purchased a commercially-available exercise bike that enabled him to slide from his wheelchair directly on to the unit's seat. With frequent use, the cycle wore out and required adaptation, strengthening, and repair. Adaptations included upgrading the bearings, increasing resistance to provide greater exercise, and adapting the pedals to keep the user's feet from slipping off. The
Exercise Glove
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: Provide a custom adaptation of an exercise glove for an individual with grasping difficulties due to right hemiplegic stroke. A special glove is created which uses Velcro to attach an open-fingered gym glove to the handlebar of exercise equipment. Velcro is sewed onto the palm of each glove, with a loose section at the end. When the individual uses the exercise machines, she sticks three adhesive Velcro dots to the handle and wraps her hand around them. The loose end
Exercise System
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted exercise system for an individual who has hemiplegia following stroke. For individuals who have had a stroke and now have reduced strength on one side can strengthen and re-stabilize should protraction through practiced movements using an exercise system. The system assists the individual retraining the brain to create new pathways damaged from the stroke. The traditional method of practicing shoulder protraction was not id
Extra-Long Reacher
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spinal cord injury to reach items at the foot of the bed. The handle was cut off an existing reacher with U-shaped gripping jaws. A piece of aluminum tubing was added to extend the length of the reacher and a wire extension was soldered to the wire that activates the jaws when the trigger is squeezed. TITLE: Bedside Computer Stand. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 2, July 2006: p. 10-11. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Extra-Strong Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To prevent children and adults with cognitive disabilities and poor impulse control from throwing the bed. The bed frame was made of heavy square steel tubing and has six legs. A plywood platform was cut to fit and bolted to the frame. Loktite was put into the threads to make it dificult to unbolt the platform from the frame. The platform edges were smoothed and the platform was sealed with clear varnish. The bed was then bolted to the home's concrete slab floor using
Eyedrop Dispenser
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with arthritis and other upper extremity disabilities to administer eye drops. Two pieces of PVC tubing were cut to fit the user's hands and joined with hinges. Between the hinges, a slot was fitted to grip the eye drop container and two knobs touched the sides of the container. When pumped, the knobs squeeze the container and deliver the medication. The device also aids in removing the top of the container. The container is placed in the slot
Fishing Rig, The
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to fish. The rig is built of tough half-inch Lexan plastic and fastens securely to the wheelchair frame, providing a strong, stable platform close to the stomach. On that platform is a universal joint that allows sideways rotation and up and down swing. The handle of the fishing rod is adapted to fit into the universal joint. (Another option is to attach the adapter arm to the handle of any fishing rod with wrap-around c
Fishing Rod Holder And Accessories
CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a fishing rod holder and fishing accessories for an individual with brain injury and limited arm mobility. Since the individual could only use his right arm, adaptations needed to include tying the hook onto a fishing line—an activity that normally requires two hands. First, a device was located and converted to one-hand use. The device was then mounted onto at an angle onto a piece of plywood, and then flexible polyurethane guides
Fishing Rod Holder For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to fish. A purchased rod mount was used to make a lightweight rod holder which clamps to the footplate strut of a wheelchair. The holder is made from 19 millimeter chrome-plated steel curtain rods. A horizontal arm passes from the footplate strut on the right side, a vertical arm to the appropriate height, and then a smaller horizontal arm coming toward the user's body. The connection between the arms are machined from 25 milli
Flip-Up Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a mobile table that can be moved close enough to a person seated in an armchair to be used for eating or working. Elongate the crossbar of the base of a hospital bedside table to increase the width of the base to be slightly wider than an armchair. If necessary, lengthen the table's vertical support to adjust the table's height. MATERIALS: One hospital bedside table and additional tubing. TITLE: Doing It Yourself. AUTHOR: Wechsler, K. JOURNAL: Quest. WEB SI
Floor Sitter
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities with floor-level seating and positioning. The legs were cut off commercial plastic children's chairs and the edges smoothed. Four wooden holding blocks were glued to the underside of the chair and the chair was mounted to a hoop pine plywood base by screwing through the base into the holding blocks. An adjustable pelvic belt was fitted to the chair, using stainless steel bolts to attach it to the base. A slot was cut in th
Flow Guide
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a man with motor neuron disease to urinate in privacy. Designed for use with a commode chair, this device consists of a vertical length of 50-millimeter PVC pipe with a PVC elbow at the top. A flexible, waterproof gooseneck made of Locline (used for applying coolant when machining metals), extends from the back of the PVC elbow. At the bottom of the gooseneck is a stainless steel tube which fits into a corresponding tube attached to the bottom front of the c
Folding Dressing Stick
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with upper extremity disabilities to perform dressing tasks. The dressing stick is made of lightweight aluminum bar with a brass center pivot to allow the device to fold in half. A piece of aluminum at one end was formed to make two hooks, one for pushing and one for pulling. DIMENSIONS: 450 millimeters long when open and 280 millimeters long when folded. TITLE: Best Dressed. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no. 3, Spring 2001: p.13. PAGES (includi
Folding Handle For Gator Vehicle
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted folding handle for a John Deere Gator farm vehicle for an individual with paraplegia. An individual with paraplegia as a result of a spinal cord injury continues to work on his family’s farm and uses a Gator, an off-road vehicle, to get around the farm. The Gator allows this individual to perform tasks around the farm that would otherwise be very difficult, if not impossible, in his wheelchair. However, this individual’s t
Foot Support For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a fused knee to have leg support in a wheelchair without creating pressure beyond the ankle. This device replicates a home footstool with the length reduced so only the ankle comes in contact with it. The unit attaches to the existing front rigging of the wheelchair and can be removed when not in use. TITLE: Wheeling Easy. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 12 no. 1, Autumn 2001: p. 16. PAGES (including cover): 2 2001.
Foot-Operated Rhythm Device
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide recreation and lower extremity therapy for seniors and individuals with coordination and mobility disabilities. The device enables the user to tap a rhythm with his/her foot along with music. A base, angled to support a raised foot, was cut from plywood. Another piece of plywood was cut into the shape of a foot and metal shoe protectors, commonly used to protect the toe and heel of shoes, were fastened to the underside of the plywood foot in the toe and heel
Footrest
Footrests can help children who legs do not yet reach the floor for stability, have sensor processing disorders, gravitational insecurities and poor trunk posture, sit in a chair at the table with family and peers.
Forearm Crutches
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide heavy-duty forearm crutches for an active individual with a lower leg amputation. The user was not able to find crutches that were strong enough and still provided the appropriate handgrip. The solution was for her hysband to custom-build crutches using the base purchased in Australia, custom-made arm cuffs, and handgrips purchased from Holland. When the pin holding the arm cuffs in place began to wear, the arm cuffs loosened. Over time the user also develo
Fork Extender
DO IT YOURSELF PURPOSE: To help people with limited arm use to feed themselves independently. Solder a piece of metal to the end of the fork's handle. The length of the extension should be determined by the needs of the user. MATERIALS: Fork; metal, with at least one end approximately the same width as the fork's handle; solder. TOOLS: Soldering iron. SKILLS REQUIRED: Metal working. TITLE: Doing It Yourself. AUTHOR: Wechsler, K. JOURNAL: Quest. WEB SITE: http://www.mdausa.org/publications/Quest
Frame For Bath Insert
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a frame for bath insert for a child with cerebral palsy. A Sunburst bath insert was purchased and a frame to mount this over the existing bath was built. A wooden model to test the fit and comfort of the proposed frame was created. Once fine-tuned, it was built by a local supplier with square stainless steel tube, which would not corrode when it gets wet. The frame fits snugly to the top of the existing bath, and has adjustable bolts
Freestanding Shower Support Railing
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide shower support for people with mobility and balance disabilities who do not or cannot have rails installed in the bathroom for the toilet or shower. Freestanding rails are adapted for use in the shower to provide support and an overall feeling of safety. Freestanding rails used as a toilet rail system are adapted by using 25 millimeter (mm) stainless steel tubing to add new rails at 1065 mm above the floor. Non-slip foam tubing is glued to the upper rails,
Fridge Lock
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide customized childproof refrigerator lock for a child with autism that can be easily opened by an adult, but not allow for the child to accidentally lock himself inside the refrigerator. The final design includes two purpose-made pad bolts mounted in metal boxes on top of the refrigerator and freezer doors. The bolts are spring-loaded to make them extend and engage in a slot in a plate which is mounted between the bolts on the top of the fridge cabinet and pr
Game Board
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide recreation and therapy for seniors and individuals with coordination and mobility disabilities. The board is designed for a game called Draughts and can be adapted for use playing Noughts and Crosses. A base was cut from three millimeter craft board and another piece the same size was cut for the top. Sixty-four ten millimeter holes were cut in the top piece. The board was finished in a checkerboard pattern, alternating black and varnished natural wood squa
Games Ramp
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted game ramp to play pool for a young adult with cerebral palsy. Due to the cerebral palsy the young adult was unable to control his arm movements and sufficiently use a cue. A ramp was created using a 9 millimeter piece of plywood. The design included a small landing at the top of the ramp for setting the ball, shallow sides to guide the ball in a straight line, and smooth contact points and the edge cushioned so not to dama
Garden Stool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with lower extremity amputation to work in a small garden. A commercially-purchased garden stool had seating surfaces too narrow for the user to feel secure.The existing seating surfaces were replaced with wider, more fully padded ones. TITLE: Garden Guide. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol 23 no 2, Winter 2003: p. 16-17. PAGES (including cover): 3 2003.
Gas Powered Power Wheels
The Gas Powered Power Wheels is a Do It Yourself product designed for children with lower extremity disabilities to engage in gross motor play. The short explanation is that it is a 7 horsepower Duromax with stage one racing kit. With a centrifugal clutch running to a custom driveshaft to the back running a 6 speed 90 degree mounted reversed rotation transaxle. Lawn tractor frame shortened 11 inches. With custom steering column and column shifted, hand brake, homemade gas pedal from a 2-hole pun
Gate Latch
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To lock the entry gate to a yard in position to provide support for an individual with post-polio syndrome as she negotiated the entry steps. A brace was made to hold the gate open at a 45-degree angle. The brace consists of a metal stay bar attached to a ring fitted into the side brick wall at one end and a short piece bent at a right anfle at the other end. The bent piece fits into a slot drilled into the back of the gate's top bar to lock the gate in position. When
Golf Club Tube
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation of a golf club for a child with mobility and severe physical disabilities. The child has limited movement in swinging a golf club from his wheelchair even with assistance. The child's mother had observed a teacher using a long plastic pipe with students to roll a golf ball through a target. The adaptation had a straight tube, which would not work well with this particular child. The parents bought several sections of 2 x
Google Self-Driving Car
The Google Self-Driving Car is a prototype vehicle designed to take a person who cannot drive where they want to go, with no driving required, at the push of a button. This is designed to be used by the aging or visually impaired persons who would otherwise not be able to drive, for independent, safe transportation.
Grasping Aid For Paddle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with only an index finger and a thumb on her right hand to paddle a dragon boat. The aid has gone through several iterations, Initiallythe design consisted of a T-shaped piece of wetsuit fabric. The bar of the T wrapped around the wrist and was secured with Velcro. The leg of the T wrapped over the hand and the paddle and then was secured to the wristband, also with Velcro. However, when the material became wet, it stretched and came off. The n
Guide Dots
The Guide Dots is an audio-based application designed to help visually impaired to navigate independently. The app uses audio prompts, Facebook Places, Google Maps, and crowdsourcing technology to call out places as the user passes. With the ability to tag route details and find nearby friends, Guide Dots is a walking guide to any city in the world. With a growing Guide Dots community, users can create detailed databases of localized information such as hazards in the walkway and the location of
Guide For Inserting Magazines Into Envelopes
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with cognitive disabilities to insert magazines in envelopes. This Guide features a metal plate with raised sides that enable the user to align the magazine with the envelope and slide it in. The Guide clamps to a bench or counter and is reversible for right- or left-handed use. TITLE: Making Work Easy. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 12 no. 1, Autumn 2001: p. 12-13. PAGES (including cover): 3 2001.
Guide Wire For Garden
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with lower extremity amputation to safely work in a small garden. The individual had a lower extremity amputation and uses a cane, walker, scooter, or wheelchair for mobility; however none of these devices proved suitable for use in gardening. The wheelchair and scooter were too high, and when concentrating on a task, the individual would often move away from a cane or walker and then have difficulty going back to it. A guide wire system was cre
Guitar Holder
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with good finger control but limited arm strength to play the guitar. The guitar has a two-inch Velcro strip bonded to the guitar that can be locked on to a mating Velcro band around the leg, preventing the guitar from slipping from the correct position. The user's right arm has a support, also of Velcro, attached to the wheelchair armrest that fully supports the arm. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLE
Guitar Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation for a guitar for an individual with left side hemiplegia in arm and leg due to stroke. An individual was a self-taught and lover of playing the guitar experienced a stroke that resulted in a left side hemiplegia in his arm and leg making the muscles on this side of his body weak. He had to learn how to walk again which he does with a cane. This also meant, he was no longer able to play the guitar because of the weakness
Hair Washing Visor
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To keep shampoo out of they eyes of a child with intellectual disabilities who has difficulty understanding instructions to close her eyes or hold a wash cloth over them. A full-circle visor was made of clear plastic. A hole in the center fits over the child's and elastic lace around the opening ensures a secure fit. Hat wire was sewn into the outside edge of the plastic to keep the brim stiff. TITLE: Happy Hair Wash. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 3, Oc
Hallway Stander
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To design a customized stander fabricated for use in a hallway by an individual with multiple sclerosis. The user wanted a device to conveniently get into the standing position from her wheelchair to improve the leg muscle conditioning, circulation, and fight spasticity through exercise. Since there was limited room available in the user’s home the stander was designed and fabricated for use in the hallway. The stander has two horizontal bars at knee
Hand Rails For Treadmill
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To provide support for a child with spina bifida during execise on a treadmill with handrails that are too high for the child. Two commercially available adjustable handrails are mounted on wooden blocks by resting them in round notches cut out of the blocks. The rails are held in place by brass straps, and the foot of each rail is encased in rubber to prevent slippage. The two mounted rails are placed on either side of the treadmill. The blocks are clamped to the side
Hand Support
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To support an arm paralyzed following a stroke. A This plastic cone, roughly the shape of the inside of a relaxed hand, is slung on an elastic band attached to an adjustable Velcro belt. The hand splint is held to the arm with a Velcro band and shaped so as to grip the cone. TITLE: The Hand Support. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/handsupport.htm. REF: The originator, Tom Jeary, can be contacted at tlj@golden.net.
Hands-Free Faucet Controller
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to operate a faucet. The faucet controller attached to a shower head will convert any faucet to hands-free operation. The foot controls both water frow and temperature. This easy to install assistive device offers temperature memory, scald protection, hand sanitation and saves water and energy. For more detailed information, contact the originator. TITLE: The Hands-Free Faucet Controller. WEB SITE: Worksh
Head Pointer
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide custom adaptation to a head pointer device for an individual with cerebral palsy. While many commercial devices are available, not all are ideal for every individual. A simple, lightweight version can be customized for individual needs. The design is based on a donated headgear from a commercial safety visor. The individual’s aluminum pointer has a standard rubber tip (a smaller version of the type used on crutches), plus an end clamp that holds whichever p
Head Stick
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with severe physical disabilities to operate a computer, dial a phone, turn pages, and perform other tasks. This device was constructed using a cut down bicycle helmet. An additional band of rubber was installed to provide comfort and achieve proper fit. The pointer is a firm quarter-inch rubber-tipped metal rod rigidly attached to the side of the helmet and angled so the pointer tip is central to the user's eyesight. The rod is necessar
Hearing Test Box For Use With Young Children
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable the hearing of very young children to be tested for range and degree of hearing loss. Designed to test children from seven months to three years of age, the test box is used in Visual Reinforcement Audiometry. This testing method involves teaching the child to turn his/her head when a special sound is heard and reinforcing this by showing a moving toy or puppet in a lighted window. Because the child enjoys the toy show, he/she will turn his/her head even if
Heater Control Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with rheumatoid arthritis to operate the controls of a space heater. The heater is operated by turning a small rotatiting knob. A wooden tool with a handle and a rectangular hole in the center was fashioned. The user places the hole over the knob and operates it by pushing the tool to one side or the other. TITLE: Independence at Home. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 2, July 2006: p. 8-9. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Hockey Wheelchair
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to play hockey in a wheelchair league. The lower half of a straight-bladed hockey stick was fastened to a bracket which,in turn, was held across the wheelchair footplates by two quarter-inch bolts and wing nuts for quick assembly and disassembly. Approximately two-thirds of the way back on the blade, arms were fastened that extend approximately four inches at a little less than a right angle to hold the ball. TITLE: Ho
Holder To Attach Camera To A Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to take photographs. The holder is made from 19 millimeter chrome-plated steel curtain rods and clamps to the wheelchair footplate strut. It has a horizontal arm which passes from the footplate strut under the user's right leg and a vertical arm that comes up on the user's right side. The arm is long enough to put the camera at eye level. The camera is mounted on a horizontal arm that pivots from the vertical arm. The mounting
Home-Built Trike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted tandem, recumbent and upright tricycle for a young adult with traumatic brain injury and limited mobility to aid in his recovery. Unable to local any adaptive tandem bikes that would meet his son's needs, the father who has a background in mechanical engineering spent six months designing and building a custom adapted trike. Like many commercially-available tandem cycles, the design puts the front passenger (the son) in the
Horse-Drawn Pleasure
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted horse-drawn cart for use with a manual or electronic wheelchair by children with mobility disabilities. Using a standard horse-drawn cart as a base, a cart was designed which meets all of Australia's Riding for the Disabled organization’s needs. It has a sturdy chassis made from steel tubing, with marine-grade plywood panels and floor and fabricated metal mudguards. Horse-drawn carts generally have big wheels which make the
Inclined Board
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation for individuals with mobility disabilities to use when they fall and have no way getting back up to the raised position. The Inclined Board constructed from a ¾ inch piece of plywood, 22 inches tall by 48 inches long. The board has notches on both sides for the individual to hold and grab on to. At the top of the Inclined Board there are two holes by which a piece of rope can be inserted and knotted securely in place.
Independent Feeder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with Guillain Barre Syndrome to eat independently. TITLE: Eating Independently. Made primarily of stainless stee, this unit has a rectangular base frame that fits into an existing tube on the user's wheelchair and supports a standard wooden dinner tray. On the right side of the frame is a vertical post with two 90-degree bends in it that is fixed in position with a trinut, creating a mount for the feeding device and a drink container. The mount
Ipad Mount
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized iPad mount for an electric wheelchair for individuals with mobility disabilities and spinal cord injuries, including people with quadriplegia. A quadriplegic used a computer to organize his activities such as painting, filmmaking, counseling, and motivational speaking. Laptops do not easily mount onto the electric wheelchair, and when the iPad became available, this individual jumped at the chance. Working with TADNSW an iPad b
Jar Opener
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a jar opener for individuals with hand paralysis to unscrew the lid from a variety of jar sizes. A standard vise was modified by bounding a 1-inch thick strip of hard rubber to each jaw face. Each rubber strip has a “v” cut out of the center to allow firm gripping the jar. The vise is mounted to a convenient counter space. The second component consists of a plastic handle with a cam on the end. A 1-inch canvas webbin
Jig For Emptying A Leg Bag
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis to empty a leg bag independently. The user, who lives alone, has limited hand strength and was unable to empty her leg without calling for assistance. Although she was able to lift the bag from its carrier on her wheelchair, the valve at the top of the bag was stiff and difficult to open. Using a plastic cutting board as a base, a mount was created from two plastic blocks with a rectangular hole to hold the bag valve. A
Jig To Hold Peg Parts For Assembly
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with cognitive disabilities to assemble pegs for hanging clothing. This jig clamps to a bench and has slots to hold the two sides of the peg in position. With the sides stabilized, the spring section can be placed over them. TITLE: Making Work Easy. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 12 no. 1, Autumn 2001: p. 12-13. PAGES (including cover): 3 2001.
Joystick Controller For Sailboat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with cerebral palsy to sail independently. The sailboat is equipped with two battery-powered motors to operate the rudder and the mainsheet, which is attached to the boom. A basic joystick was adapted to control these operations by replacing the existing internal spring with a stronger one and extending the handle to six inches long. A wooden base attaches to the floor of the boat with Velcro. The wooden control box at the base of
Juice Box Holder
This Juice Box Holder is designed for children with grasping disabilities to be able to hold their juice box. This is a juice box holder made of plastic wood. They can also be custom made to hold a specific cup a child may be using. The bases on these are oversized so that they can be clamped onto a table and used without the use of hands.
Juice Box Holder
This Juice Box Holder is designed for children with grasping disabilities to be able to hold their juice box. This is a juice box holder made of plastic wood. They can also be custom made to hold a specific cup a child may be using. The bases on these are oversized so that they can be clamped onto a table and used without the use of hands.
Kangaroo Chair And Table
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted Kangaroo chair and table set for a child with developmental delays. The child has had a Kangaroo chair and table set for several years. The Kangaroo is generally designed to provide well-supported long floor sitting for children up to primary school age, and has a chair with a winged back support and a height-adjustable table. However, the child still needs long periods on floor sitting to stretch his legs and loosen his leg
Kangaroo Corner Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide supported seating for a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and hearing and vision impairments. Made of wood, this low-to-the-floor chair and table set enables the child to sit with correct, supported posture with her legs straight out in front of her to stretch the hamstrings. The set is adjustable and can be used for eating, reading, or play. TITLE: Playing and Growing. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 25, Number 4, Summer 2005. PAGES:
Kayak Assistive Devices For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury
--- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a modified paddle grip and paddle supporting device for individuals with minimal upper body function after a C6 spinal cord injury (SCI) to use while participating in open water kayaking. Individuals with C6 SCI have little access to outdoor adventure activities due to their limited lower body mobility. The modified devices were created for and used by a non-profit organization, The Adaptive Adventure Sports Coalition (TAASC) for recreationa
Keyboard Rest
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted keyboard rest for an individual with autism and communication disabilities. This individual uses his computer as his way of “speaking” using a special keyboard with large to keys to type in words, one letter at a time. The individual’s motor control and visual control were best when the keyboard was on an angle. Unable to locate a commercially available stand to meet his needs, a custom adapted keyboard stand was designed a
Keyboard Wedge
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: Provide a custom adaptation to a standard keyboard for use by an individual with cerebral palsy. Due to the type of typing aid used by this individual, the most effective position of a keyboard needed to be at a 30 degree angle from the desk. This adaptation allows the individual to guide the typing aid directly towards the keys rather than having to bend his wrists to reach the keyboard. A clear sheet of acrylic was used to make the keyboard wedge, using a jig to he
Kids Mini Bowling Ramp
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized adaptation of a bowling ball ramp for a child with severe disabilities. This adaptation began with calculating how long and wide the ramp needed to be. The ramp needed to be narrow enough so the ball would not fall through but this can be adapted depending on the child’s size. The top portion sides are approximately 10 inches long, the cross pieces are 4 inches. The long portion consists of two 18 inch pieces with a straight co
Kitchen Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to reach counters and perform kitchen tasks. A specially adapted office chair, the seat is rasied above standard height and casters provide mobility; the chair is also equipped with a foot bar for support. The seat has a plywood base with foam padding and is covered in vinyl. The armrest brackets were extended and the armrest upholstered to match. The backrest has a gentle curve for support and is angled five degrees
Kitchen Drawer Lock
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To secure kitchen drawers to prevent a child with a developmental disability from opening them. The locking device consists of a handle on the outside of the drawer cabinet attached to a horizontal lever mounted on the top inside wall of the cabinet. The horizontal lever is attached to a vertical latching bar that fits into a corresponding slot in the wedge-shaped pieces mounted on the drawers themselves. When the handle on the outside is turned, the horizontal lever l
Kitchen Enclosure
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To prevent a child with developmental delays from entering a kitchen without supervision. The child's home had an open-plan kitchen which required a means of keeping the child out when unsupervised. A fence was constructed of pine with vertical bars spaced according to safety specifications to prevent entrapment. A horizontal bar across the top finished the fence. The fence is equipped on one side with a gate with a magnetic latch. One gate post was mounted on the bea
Knife Grip
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to cut food. The design process for the grip began with a cardboard template that fit around a gand. A slot to hold the knife was then added to the design. The grip was then cut from three-millimeter thick PVC and the slot was made to fit an existing steak knife that had been adapted by cutting off the handle just above the blade. TITLE: Knife Grip. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 4, January 2007: p. 12. PAGES: 2
Knob For Gas Connector
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual to connect a portable gas heater in different rooms. The bayonet fitting for the portable heater required that the knob be pushed and turned simultaneously. A new, larger knob was fabricated with a scalloped edge rather than a knurled edge. TITLE: Retirement Projects. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 27, Number 2, August 2007: p. 14-15. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Koala Corner Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide seating and positioning for a child with microcephaly, epilepsy, and developmental disabilities. Made to dimensions specified by a therapist, this unit includes a chair with a footrest and a table that enable the child to be seated in a posturally and functionally correct position for learning, eating and playing. Made of plywood, the unit has a pedestal seat with a winged back for shoulder protraction. The seat and back panels are equipped with fabric-cove
Ladder To Assist Getting Out Of Bath
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized bracket and ladder system for use in getting in and out of the bath unaided for a person with mobility disabilities. A bracket is mounted on a stainless steel plate, and a fixed stainless steel tube is welded onto the plate. A smaller diameter inner tube with a 500 millimeter (mm) long piece of tube is welded at 90 degrees, creating an L-shape that sits in the outer tube and rotates from flush against the wall to 90 degrees from the wall. Hangi
Laptop Computer Tray
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized laptop computer tray for a student with disabilities. The adaptation mounts a laptop computer (with speech software) on a standard wheelchair tray so that the screen is in view while the computer is housed under the tray and the tray surface is left free. Hardware from a standard roll out "under the desk" keyboard shelf was modified to provide a platform for the laptop. Only the switch driving the software is exposed on the tr
Laptop Support
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide an individual with neurological disabilities with limited arm motion a means of comfortably accessing a laptop computer. This support is designed to enable the user to bring her wheelchair into position and then lower the support so that the computer is in her lap at the necessary angle. A rectangular plywood base with two vertical pieces at either side was designed to clamp to a table. Another plywood board with standard drawer runners at either side was
Large Easel
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with severe phyical disabilities to access canvasas of various sizes for painting. Made of square steel tubing, the frame is designed to enable the user to access any part of a large painting from one position. The frame is equipped with a central board on which the painting is mounted with brackets at the bottom to hold the painting and a bracket at the top that adjusts up and down in a slot on the board using a knurled nut. The b
Large In-Line Switch
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to oprate a lamp. A small stained and varnished wooden box was built to contain two electrical boxes. One electrical box is for a large rocker switch and the other box is for a regular 120- volt receptacle. It is connected to a three-wire supply cable complete with plug, recycled from an old refrigerator. The wiring is arranged so that the rocker switch controls the power to the receptacle. The wooden box
Large In-Line Switch
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation for an individual with fine motor and mobility disabilities. An individual needs to be able to switch a table lamp on and off and is unable to operate the switch built into the table lamp due to limited arm mobility and fine motor skills. A small wooden box (stained and varnished) was made to contain two electrical boxes. One electrical box is for a large rocker switch, the other is for a regular 120 volt receptacle. Th
Large Lighted Magnifier
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a large magnifier for a person with Usher
Syndrome (visual/hearing impairments). The magnifier was to be mounted and large enough to fit a book/magazine under it and read the whole page. Additionally, the magnification needed to be adjustable to the various size print the patron was reading. A powerful lens (made by Fresnel Technologies) was adapted. The type of lens was originally designed for lighthouse optics and is made of rigid plastic, so it is not fl
Large Print Group Crossword Puzzle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable seniors and those with low vision to participate in group crossword activities. A 10 squares across x 10 squares down was drawn on a magnetic white board and the grid outlined with fine masking tape. A magneticsheet was cut into squares that matched the size of the squares on the grid; the magnetic squares are used to cover unneeded squares to create a grid to match the crossword puzzle being done. DIMENSIONS: The board is 1 meter x 900 centimeters. COLOR: Th
Large Spike Board
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted food preparation spike board for an individual with left arm amputation. Current spike boards were not large enough to accommodate the user’s desire to cook large items such as large meats and large quantities of vegetables. A 400 by 300 millimeter PVC chopping board was acquired. Then 304 grade stainless steel, which is safe to use with food, was used to make a master pin and 30 copies. Each pin has a pointed tip which pr
Lateral Rocking Horse
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide balance practice for children with balance and neurological disabilities. Built of plywood, this rocker has a seat with a footrest, a front safety bar, and horse-shaped sides. The unit is mounted on lateral rockers that rotate approximately 25 degrees from vertical on either side. TITLE: Happy Seating. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 27, Number 3, October 2007: p. 9-11. PAGES: 4. (including cover).
Lazy Squirrel Standing Frame With Headrest
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted Lazy Squirrel Standing Frame with a headrest for a child with lissencephaly. Lissencephaly is a rare brain malformation that results in the child being unable to stand or hold himself upright. As a result of this condition, the child spent a lot of time sitting or lying down. The child needed a headrest to cradle his head while he stands in the frame. Two TAD volunteers worked on an adapted design based on the original La
Leg Support For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a fused knee to use a wheelchair. The legrest extends straight out from the wheelchair seat, supporting the legs while leaving the foot free. A support frame was created from square steel tubing and mounted on the right front frame of the chair and under the seat. A horizontal piece comes out from the wheelchair frame and attaches to a vertical piece that supports the horizontal leg support. The support itself is made from half a section o
Lever Door Handle Extension
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to open a residential fire door with an automatic closer. A lever made of lightweight aluminum tubing with rubber tips at each end was attached to the existing small lever handle with two hose clamps. This enabled the user to grasp the handle with both hands to turn it and use body weight to pull the door open. DIMENSIONS: The aluminum tube is 20 centimeters long. TITLE: Opening Gambit. JOURNAL: TAD Journal.
Lift Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with dermatomyositis to use a chair. Because the individual was unable to get out of a chair independently, she often had to stand for long periods. Commercially-available lift chairs did not placer in the position she needed in order to stand. The custom-made chair started with a padded, vinyl-covered executive-style office chair which removed from its star-shaped wheeled base. The chair was bolted to a rectangular base tig welded together fro
Lipstick Inspection Workstation
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with repetitive strain injury to continue lipstick inspection work. This work station is designed to reduce shoulder strain, take weight off the arms, and minimize movement while permitting the task of inspecting lipsticks to continue. The work station has a wood base covered with a non-slip grip liner. Two wheelchair armrests rest on the base, forming a sloping triangle, with a foam pad at each end. A series of blocks and wing nuts allow the h
Lite Brite Flatscreen - Red
The Lite Brite is a do it yourself toy designed for children ages 4 and up with upper extremity disabilities to promote wrist extension and improve pencil grasp. Portable and red Lite Brite flat screen. Cordless design and battery-powered. Compartment stores over 200 colorful pegs. Bring it with you on road trips or overnight visits. Choose from picture sheets or use the 2 free-form sheets.
Long-Handled Fork
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to do digging tasks in the garden. The fork has a long wooden handle and the tines were machined on a lathe to be curved slightly to reduce resistance and tapered to turn easily in the ground. A strip of gauze was wrapped around the handle to protect the user's hand. TITLE: Fred's Garden. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol 21 no 4, Summer 2001: p. 17. PAGES (including cover): 2 2001.
Loom Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted loom for an individual with Parkinson’s disease to practice weaving. When this individual was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she decided that she would try all the things she ever wanted in life including learning how to weave. She taught herself how to weave, bought increasingly bigger looms, and began making clothing for local medieval reenactors. Her diagnosis creates a lot of stiffness which was causing her pain wh
Lounge Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a lounge modification for seniors and individuals with mobility disabilities to make it easier to get up from a lounger (i.e. couch) that is low to the ground. This adaptation was created for a woman who found it increasingly difficult to stand up after sitting on her couch due to increase muscle weakness in her upper legs. The couch was set very low to the floor so extra strength was required to rise up to a standing position. A TAD volunt
Lowered Clothesline
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair to hang laundry outdoors. The existing clothesline hoist was adapted by bolting two aluminum strips to the existing arms. Two lengths of clothesline were threaded through holes drilled in the bottom of the strips. This created two lines reachable from wheelchair height. DIMENSIONS: The new clotheslines are 500 millimeters lower than the existing lines. TITLE: No More Washing Day Blues. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no
Lunge Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means of strengthening thigh muscles for children with lower extremity disabilities. The child stands in front of the table with one foot forward and one foot back in the walking position. An object of interest to the child is placed on the table in front of the child, requiring him/her to lunge to reach it. The wooden table is equipped with sliding legs for height adjustability, and the legs lock to a base plate to prevent the table from being knocked ov
Mash Up Arduino Code Samples
Mash Up Arduino Code Samples are Do It Yourself coding program designed for those individuals with neurological disabilities to improve their cognitive and perceptual skills.
Mattress Straps
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To prevent a plastic-covered mattress from sliding off a home hospital-style bed. The hospital bed has a plastic-covered mattress on top of the main mattress. The plastic cover caused the mattress to slide off the bed while the user was in bed. Long belts were made out of seat belt webbing and buckles were attached to each end. The belts were then bolted to the underside of the bed. When buckled over the mattress, the belts hold the mattress in place and prevent it fr
Memory Board Game
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a group memory improvement activity at a day center for seniors. The center had requested a large, lightweigheight board game that could be mounted on a whiteboard stand and removed when not in use. The game requires players to choose two numbers from the array on the board, and if the pictures on the reverse match, the player keeps the pair. The winner is the player with the greatest number of pairs. To make the board, a piece of Masonite was cut to size a
Mobile Base For Sleep System
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide mobility for a Dreama Sleep System used by a child with leukodystrophy and severe scoliosis. For comfort and to slow the development of the scoliosis, the child spends most of his time lying on his side. However, doing so in the bed meant he was isolated from household activities. To make the bed mobile, a frame was constructed of square tubular steel with a plywood base attached to the underside. Attaching the base to the underside of the frame enabled th
Mobile Dining Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with multiple sclerosis to transport meals and eat comfotably in a small apartment. A rolling table was built from melamine coated wood that fit comfortably in the space between the living room and the kitchen. The table has two shelves beneath the eating surface, one accessible from both sides and the other from the kitchen side only. Designed to be easy to clean and move, the table is equipped with four double-wheeled furniture c
Mobile Preschool Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with spina bifida with both access to very low preschool tables and personal mobility. A standard wheelchair was too high to be used at the tables, so a low-level wheeled chair was built. A Sebel Mini Hobnob chair, similar to those used by the other children in the classroom, was set on wheels virtually at ground level. Made of square steel tube, the frame to which the chair was attached, has large front wheels for self-propulsion and smaller rear c
Mobility Cart
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted mobility cart for a child with arthogryposis, a congenital disorder that causes joint contractures and muscle weakness. The child’s mother was interested in providing the child with the benefits of wheeling around the house unassisted. Wheels were added to a chair to create a mobility device for the child who has good upper body strength. The child sits on the cart and propels his or herself forward by pushing on the wheels
Mobility Device For General Home Use
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a mobility device that would allow for movement through a family residence (with many obstacles), and be used as a shower chair for person with severe physical disabilities. A mobile chair was created with a plastic seat mounted on a steel chassis with three 250- millimeter (mm) wheels out of alignment. The wheels each have their own running track and their own axle alignment. The chassis is made from a steel bar shaped to suit the three-wheeled design. The
Mobility Stool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide mobility for a parent or therapist while assisting a child with balance and walking skills. Designed to keep the parent or therapist at the right height near floor level for assisting a young child, the stool has a square plywood base equipped with furniture casters, wooden doweling legs to attach the seat to the base, and a plywood seat. TITLE: Keeping Active. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 27, Number 3, October 2007: p. 12-13. PAGES: 3. (including cov
Model Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with cerebral palsy to work on resin models. Because of reduced motor skills and strength in his right hand, the user required a means holding cast resin model pieces in place while he combined or painted them using his stronger hand. A custom stand was created with a heavy steel base containing holes for two vertical steel posts which clamp into place. Each post is equipped with a clamp holder at the top. A number of clamps were p
Model Stand 2
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with cerebral palsy to work on resin models. Because of reduced motor skills and strength in his right hand, the user required a means holding cast resin model pieces in place while he combined or painted them using his stronger hand. A custom stand was created with a heavy steel base containing holes for two vertical steel posts which clamp into place. Each post is equipped with a horizontal arm with a clamp holder at the end. The
Modification To Quick-Release Wheelchair Wheels
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To prevent quick-release wheelchair wheels from being inadvertently released. The push rims on the quick-release wheels had been removed because the chair user could not propel the chair independently. Doing so, however, exposed the buttons which released the wheels, creating the danger of an inadvertent release if the wheels were bumped while going through doors. The quick-release feature was locked by machining sleeves to fit over the buttons and gluing them in pla
Modifications To A Bicycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments to ride a two-wheeled bike. The commercially-purchased bike was equipped with a high-riser bar at the back of the wide seat. A padded backrest was attached to the bar. The rear wheel was fixed and stabilizer wheels on sprung outrigger brackets were added. PVC plastic foot cups with straps were added to the pedals to keep the rider’s foot in position. TITLE: Playing an
Modifications To A Toy Pedal Tractor
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child who has cerebral palsy to use a toy ride-on tractor. The child was able to pedal the tractor with guidance from a family member, but needed assistance with keeping his feet on the pedals and additional seated support. The existing seat on the tractor was replaced with a molded Sebel seat, raised from the seat platform to enable the child to comfortably reach the pedals. The seat was equipped with a pelvic seat belt with an easy-to-operate buckle. The
Modifications To Electric Tricycle
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adaptions to an electronic tricycle to slow acceleration and provide a safe, secure bucket seat for a child with ataxic cerebral palsy. Ataxic cerebral palsy causes the child to be unsteady and a little shaky but does not diminish the child’s desire for speed. In order to accommodate the child’s “need for speed,” a custom adaptation was created using an electric ride on tricycle acquired through funding by the Family Assistance Fundi
Modifications To Protect A Wheelchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation to protect various parts of an electronic wheelchair for a child with right hemiplegia, vision impairment, and developmental delay. There were a number of fittings on the chair that needed attention and had been damaged by the child. The first issue was the control panel for the joystick, which had a thin film cover over the membrane touch buttons that set the direction and mode. The buttons didn’t work unless they were
Modifications To Trolley
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of one hand to steer a trolley (cart) used for document delivery. An existing cart had four swivel wheels, making steering with one hand difficult. Two of the existing wheels were replaced with non-swivel ones. The adaptation required making small forks to fit the new wheels into the existing wheel mounts. In addition, the cart handle was raised using steel tubing and steel strap clamps. DIMENSIONS: The new handle is 950 millimeters hi
Modifications To Walking Frame
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with polymyositis to independently rise from a seated position. The individual had an existing four-wheeled rollator-style walker with a seat, but the seat was too low for him to be able to pull himself to a standing position. The existing seat was removed from the walker and a new seat plate was made of 12-millimeter plywood. Attached to the seat plate was a thicker foam rubber cushion covered in Mereton fabric. The new seat plate was then att
Modified Baby Cot
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom modification of a baby cot for a mother with multiple sclerosis to care for her baby. Due to muscle weakness in her legs from the multiple sclerosis, the individual was unable to stand up to read into a standard cot and pick up her son, even with the side at its lowest level. The individual purchases a new cot to be modified so the cot would open from the front and she could reach inside. The cot was assembled apart from one side.
Modified Bicycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a bicycle for a person with limb amputation. TADNSW’s FREEDOM WHEELS® modified bike service adapted and provided the patron with a bicycle; however, the patron had problems on uphill and uneven surfaces using the bicycle. However, a prototype for a rode that can link between two bikes was being developed and it was perceived that this might solve the patron’s problem—particularly since the patron and her husband were adult riders and
Modified Bicycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable a child with severe physical disabilities to experience bicycle riding. Designed for a child who is unable to walk or sit upright unaided, this cycle was created by modifying a standard child's two-wheeler. The first adaptation was to add a tow bar to the bike frame at the handle bars.The tow bar is equipped with a hand brake to aid in slowing the bike when going downhill. The existing seat was replaced by a larger one that provides greater stability; the sea
Modified Bicycle For Teenage With Cerebral Palsy
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized bicycle for a teenager with cerebral palsy and developmental delays. An evaluation of the teenager with disabilities determined the only modifications needed were a larger seat, outrigger wheels, and foot cups. The new-design outrigger wheels can be easily removed and reattached, making transport and storage much easier. While the modifications were minor, the results were major. The consumer is now able to get necessary exercise while doing an
Modified Bicycle Handlebar
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bicycle handlebar for a child whose left arm is shorter than her right. The difference in length between the arms made bike riding uncomfortable for the little girl since she could not quite reach the handlebar. The TAD volunteer measured the bike and the distance between the girl's hand and handlebar, and fitted the bike with a handlebar extension. The extension was made from steel tubing and sized to meet the girl's left
Modified Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a modified bike for a child with Hypomelanosis of Ito syndrome. A 6-year-old had a congenital dislocation of the left hip which caused stiffness in his hip and one leg to be slightly shorter than the other. While out shopping, the child and his mother saw a bike that was nearly the right size for the child but required modifications for him to keep his left foot on the pedal. TAD volunteers converted the bike from a free wheel to a fixed wh
Modified Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted bike for an active adult with Down syndrome. FREEDOM WHEELS adapted a bike to include a wider seat and outrigger wheels that could be removed later if the individual developed enough skill to ride on her own. This adaptation allowed the individual to combine her love of swimming and riding by competing in the Triathlon Pink, which supports breast research. TITLE: Lucy’s Triathlon. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 30, Numb
Modified Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted bike for a child with bilateral ulnar club hand. The child’s arms and hands are not completed developed. Her right arm is longer and can straighten more easily, and she has some ability to grip with her right hand, whereas her left arm is less able to straighten or grip. When younger the child could use a standard bike with one hand, but a heavier bike is too difficult to steer one-handed. FREEDOM WHEELS was able to const
Modified Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bicycle for a child with global developmental delay and epilepsy. Freedom Wheels Modified Mike Service created a customized bike which enables the child to join in riding with his brother and sister on family outings, and provides an enjoyable and different way of moving that also improves his muscle strength. In addition to the standard outrigger wheels, the bike's seat has a number of supports including hip and thoracic f
Modified Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bike modification for a child with spastic diplegia. The boy’s condition mainly affects his lower limbs but he is still able to walk short distances using a walker and his motor skills and strength in his left hand are also affected. The bike did not require extensive modification as the child has reasonable upper body strength. The bike modifications include a wider seat and outrigger wheels, plus a high-riser bar with pad
Modified Bikes
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bike for a child with Down syndrome and mild visual impairment. FREEDOM WHEELS® created a bike with a wider seat, outrigger wheels, toe clips, and a tow bar. Aside from learning how to climb onto the bike with assistance from his father, the child has already begun to enjoy being on the bike and has started to pedal on his own; although his father still pulls him over rougher terrain on occasion. TITLE: Easy Riding. JOURNA
Modified Bikes
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bike for a mother who is nervous of bikes and wants to ride with her Down syndrome and mild visual impaired child. The mother had ridden a bike since an accident she had while riding on one when she was a young child. FREEDOM WHEELS® created a bike with a wider seat and outrigger wheels for her. Despite being nervous to start, she had gradually developed more confidence and hopes to eventually remove her outrigger wheels. T
Modified Bunk Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a teenage girl with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bones) to safely use a bunk bed. In order to create needed space in a shared bedroom, two single beds were joined as bunk beds. However, there was concern that the limited head room on the bottom bunk would result in the child with osteogenesis imperfecta accidently injuring herself. Similarly, the upper bunk posed risks due to falls or other injury while climbing up. Also, the top bunk would limit access
Modified Chair Lever
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to operate the level mechanism of a reclining chair for an individual with right arm weakness. The original lever was quite short and positioned low down on the right side making it very difficult to push down to raise and lower the leg support section of the chair. A handle was created that bent out far enough from the base so it cleared the chair armrest and with a modified handgrip for easier grasping. A bent section of square ste
Modified Child Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted bike for a child with muscular dystrophy. The FREEDOM WHEELS workshop modification included the usual outrigger wheels and wider seat, plus hip and thoracic supports, a padded head plate, foot cups, and a tow handle. The handlebars were extended to make them easier for the child to reach. TITLE: Jaxson’s Wheels. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 29, Number 3, September 2009: p. 11. PAGES: 2 (including cover).
Modified Child Tricycle
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaption of a child tricycle for a child with Collagen 6 Myopathy. The child does not have enough strength to turn the tricycle pedals but is able to propel the trike himself using his feed on the smooth floor tiles in the family home. First, the pedals were removed, the cranks straightened, and then reattached to 25 millimeters out from the front wheel hub. This allows the child to use the pedals as footrests when he tires and nee
Modified Child Walker
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walker for a child with muscular dystrophy who is unable to stand or walk independently. A bright yellow walker was adapted using FREEDOM WHEELS bike components which would provide the child with postural supports similar to bikes. A high-riser bar was attached to the frame of the walker under the seat then a back support plate and thoracic fins were mounted onto the high-riser. These components are height adjustable on th
Modified Child's Car
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a Wiggles Big Red Car for a child with cerebral palsy. The car’s existing seat was unsuitable for the child as he needed to be able to recline backwards. However, the child had an existing free-form seat which fitted snugly into the same space. This was used with cushions made by a volunteer. A wired hand-operated jellybean switch control was created to work with the existing electrical controls. This switch was mounted on the steering
Modified Cot
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted cot for a mother with hemiplegia and limited use of her left arm. The mother needed a safe play area for her son that did not require him to be lifted—a modified cot would suit this purpose. An existing cot was adapted using two zips to make a triangle. Since the existing fabric side of the cot was not strong enough to have a zip put in, the cot was taken to pieces to take out one entire panel, cut the black edging to a sq
Modified Crib
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted crib for a mother with C6-7 quadriplegia who uses a motorized wheelchair and. The mother has wrist function but no use of her fingers. She did not have the reach or strength to operate the crib’s drop side, and could not get near enough to the crib once the side was down because it got in the way of her chair. Previous adaptations by TAD staff would not work in this case since the mother used a motorized wheelchair. A TAD v
Modified Cutlery
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide custom adaptation of cutlery for an individual with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. Two pieces of 16-gauge steel sheet were cut and wrapped into a U-shaped holder that fits around the individual’s hands. A stainless steel knife and fork were then TIG-welded to the U-shape holder. The steel holders have a natural spring so the individual can bend them back very slightly to insert his hand. Once the holders are on his hands, the user doe
Modified Desk Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with short stature to sit comfortably at her desk. A commercially-available swiveling desk chair was purchased and virtually rebuilt. The seat was removed from its existing base and mounted on a custom-built parallelogram-shaped base which was attached to a screwjack to raise and lower the chair height while keeping the seat horizontal. The screwjack was powered by a 50-watt direct-current (DC) motor. This enabled the user to sit on the chair a
Modified Dining Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a walker and has upper extremity weakness to transfer safely to a dining chair for meals. The individual required a chair that enabled her to sit and then swivel into position and lock the seat in position for eating. A standard office chair with a five-legged star base was purchased. To ensure the chair would be safe and stable during transfers, the existing casters were removed and replaced with rubber feet. Because the left armrest
Modified Dining Chair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted dining chair for a young woman with Dravet syndrome, an intellectual disability and epilepsy. Her seizures are severe and hard to control. When the young woman was younger she use to sit at the kitchen table using a high chair but as she got older, she outgrew the high chair and now needed a new way to sit comfortably at the dinner table. Upon initial evaluation, the assessment team tried a TAD Michelle Tilt-in-Space Supp
Modified Jogging Stroller
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To adapt a standard jogging stroller to accommodate a growing child with cerebral palsy. An existing stroller was modified by installing a new higher seat cushion higher in the existing fabric seat. The cushion was fabricated, taped, and sewn using a piece of nylon plate for rigidity on the bottom with foam and canvas to cover. This seat assembly was supported by canvas Velcroed to the sides of the existing seat. This allows the seat to be adjusted. A brick coun
Modified Kindergarten Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities with appropriate seating. Three wooden kindergarten chairs were modified to meet the needs of specific children. Seat and back inserts, measured for each child, were added to the standard chairs and bolted on using metal brackets. A pelvic belt and a crotch strap were added to assist with positioning. TITLE: Supporting Early Intervention. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 3, October 2006. PAGES: 16-17. Number o
Modified Powered Trike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized powered trike for a child with spinal muscular atrophy type II. This customization begins with a simple trike which uses a press foot control connected to a battery that powers the motor. First the foot pedals are disconnected and a circuit board was added to adapt the trike for hand control. The trike is then operated by two specially designed grip-style hand switches which are mounted on each handlebar. The switches plug int
Modified Scooter
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create an adapted scooter for a teenage girl with cerebral palsy and hemiplegia on the right side that affects her control and balance. The young adult was eager to get a scooter but was unable to balance on just two wheels. A local skate shop offered wheeled scooters for children but none for teens leaving a modified scooter as the teen’s best option. The back of a regular scooter was cut off, and an axle was connected to the original back wheel
Modified Shower Chair
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To support the head of a boy with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy whose neck muscles are too weak to support his head in a shower chair. A "standard" shower chair was modified by adding a head support made from plastic pipe and lawn chair webbing. The pipe was fitted into an elongated inverted U shape (approximately 6 inches wide and height as needed) and bolted to the back
of the shower seat. A piece of lawn chair webbing was looped across the sides of the invert
Modified Stair Climber
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted modification to a stair climber for an individual who uses a wheelchair. The individual attends a mediation class that requires him to get up a flight of 20 steps. Previously he used a commercially available stair climber that clamped onto his wheelchair and lifted him up the stairs. This adaptation was working well until the user got a new wheelchair which was not compatible with the stair climber. The new wheelchair has a
Modified Stool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with muscle weakness and balance disabilities to work safely in the kitchen. A stable shower stool with a large, molded plastic seat was modified for use in the kitchen. To increase the height, the lower sections of the legs, which have height-adjustment holes and rubber feet, were removed, as were the spring clips in the upper legs. The legs were then extended with a stub insert tube. New holes were drilled in the extensions for the spring cli
Modified Student Desk For Individuals With Dwarfism
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide customized desks for children with dwarfism. To modify the existing desks, the wooden desktops were removed and a 20-centimeter piece was cut from the 25-millimeter metal legs using a jig to ensure all the desks would be the exact same height. Tubing inserts were cut to fit inside the metal legs and rejoin them, but because the tubing had a raised manufacturer seam, the leg pieces had to be drilled to a depth of 10 centimeters. The legs were reassembled, fi
Modified Swimming Pool Ladder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with rheumatoid arthritis to enter and exit an above-ground pool. The pool came with a four-step molded plastic ladder, which was only slightly angled into the pool. The user required a ladder with a greater angle and rungs spaced more closely together to minimize putting weight on the knees. A second identical ladder was combined with the first by cutting and removing sections through both sides of the ladder in between each rung. The rungs wer
Modified Tad Jar Opener
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to open screwtop jars. A standard TAD belly clamp was modified to fit rounded counter edges and made deeper at the front. A Baby Boa Constrictor Opener, which has a self-clamping rubber strap to grasp the lid completed the unit. The user stands in front of the belly clamp, holding it in place with his/her body. The jar is placed in the triangular point of the unit. With the jar secure, the strap is placed around
Modified Tools For Saddle Maker
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a saddle maker with back and wrist pain to continue working. Many tools were adapted to require less gripping force. A palm-held pneumatic hammer, generally used in furniture making, was internally altered by replacing a hard rubber bumper with a softer material, creating a tapping effect rather than a hard hammering effect. In addition, a powered, height-adjustable table accommodated a heavy granite anvil and embossing tools, enabling the user to use the to
Modified Walker
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adaptation of a walker for a 21-year-old woman who sustained a traumatic brain injury at a young age. The woman has difficulty in coordinating her muscles and has significant spasticity in her movements. She worked with her physical therapist and tried several types of walkers but the all were difficult to use because she leaned onto the walker for support which then moved away from her, putting her at risk of falling. Additionall
Motorised Wheelchair Mover
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a recreational therapist who had a back injury to move clients who used wheelchairs around the facility. Because of the back injury, the therapist was unable to push wheelchairs or lift heavy objects. To build the unit, the motor, gearbox, elctronics, and rear wheels of a second-hand scooter were used in conjunction with a chasis built of square hollow section steel. The unit has a platform at the front on which the wheelchair, with its user, is loaded. The
Mounted Tambourine
The Mounted Tambourine is designed for students with one hand to play the tambourine on top of a wheelchair table. This mounted tambourine can be turned vertical or horizontal depending on the ability of the students to move their arms.
Mouse Marker Holder
The Mouse Marker Holder is designed for student's with upper extremity and fine motor disabilities to draw with ease. This one is made from an old computer mouse. I have taken out the insides and inserted a burfab (velcro friendly material) band. The student's hand is placed on the mouse and the band is closed over their hand and velcroed snuggly. Once they have chosen their color of marker, it can be inserted into the holder on the front of the mouse. They can now slide it around the page.
Mouth Controlled Sewing Machine
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation of a foot-pedal controller for an individual who no longer has use of her legs. The foot-plate was removed from the top of the existing sewing machine pedal. A metal frame was built to hold a pneumatic cylinder. The foot pedal springs were replaced with much lighter springs. The “forward” port of the cylinder was connected to a rubber bulb. A v-shaped “clamp” is used to squeeze the bulb, extend the cylinder, and act
Mouthstick Holder
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis to have the mouth piece of the mouthstick near her mouth for ready access. The holder had to be adjustable, yet not impede access into or out of the user's wheelchair. A swivel joint from a "third hand" (two alligator clips and a magnifying lens mounted on a swivel base for use in soldering and the like) was welded to a thin-walled piece of pipe that matched the outside diameter of wheelchair rail. The thin-walled
Movable Communication And Learning Boards
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted communication and learning boards for students with disabilities. These boards enabled students with high support disabilities to access communication aids and learning materials while they are in their different therapeutic positions. There was no commercially available adjustable board which could be moved into the various positions and be easily moved around. The original design called for a stand that was 700 millimeters
Neater Eater Cutlery Adapter
The Neater Eater cutlery adapter is designed for use by individuals with arthritis or limited grasping ability. The adapter is design to work with spoon, fork, knifes and other utensils. The device has an opening of 3 x 15 millimeters and is very adjustable.
New Bed Controller
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation of a bed controller for a person with quadriplegia. Upon receiving a new bed this individual find the new bed controller difficult to use. A controller was adapted from original toggle-style switches and an old control box similar to the device previously used by this individual. The existing cable between the bed and the new controller was built into the controller therefore a new cable was needed for the adapted device. First a cab
No Limits Trike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted motorized power tricycle add on for manual wheelchairs for individuals with lower extremity or mobility disabilities or spinal cord industry. The No Limits Trike is a power system complete with a power drive including a wheel with 12 inch disk brakes, motor, and a 24 volt battery pack mounted on the front fork with handle bar. The trike includes a left side brake lever and right side variable speed twist throttle that can b
Non-Slip Bread Board
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of only one arm to butter bread. Five stainless steel rivets are inserted with the heads up into a standard wooden bread board. A non-slip pad is fixed to each corner on the underside of the board. DIMENSIONS: The rifvets are 5/16-inch long. TITLE: The Non-slip Bread Board. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/breadboard.htm. REF: The originator, Gary Miller, can be contacted at miller@glen-ne
Notepad Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of one hand to perform office tasks. This notepad holder is designed to "While You Were Out" pad in place for writing. The device consists of a plywood base with a three millimeter piece added to the front to create a slot to hold the cardboard backing of the pad. Non-slip material on the back of the plywood base keeps the unit from sliping while the user is writing. TITLE: Reception Aids. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol 23 no 1, Autum
One Hand Camera
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual who has had a stroke and lost use of one arm to operate the zoom lens of a camera while holding the camera in position to look through the viewfinder. The solution was to make a nylon gear with serrations that match those on the zoom lens, and two ball bearings to enable it to move freely. This is held in position against the zoom by a brass plate formed to clear the camera’s other functions and fixed to the tripod mount on the bottom of the ca
One Hand Sony
The One Hand Sony is a device designed for those individuals with one hand to hold their gaming remote with one hand. The One Hand Sony is a device to hold the Playstation hand control and play with one hand. The team designed a leg anchor to hold the hand control and adapted the control so the individual can reach all functionality with one hand.
One Handed Brake For Walking Frames
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walker brake system for individuals who are unable to use both hands to brake a walker. An individual with multiple sclerosis utilizes a walker but he was increasingly unable to have the strength to use both hand brakes to stop/slow his walker down. The result was the walker would pull to one side and leave the individual prone to falling. A therapist at the MS Society referred this individual to TAD where a brake-splitter
One Handed Chopping Board
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized one-handed chopping board for an individual with hemiplegia resulting from a stroke. The board base made of 16-millimeter plywood with a non-slip rubber underlay to prevent it from moving on the marble tabletop. The base has a laminex overlay and oiled hardwood edging. On the right side of the base there are two strips of polypropylene cutting board material, with two “jaws” mounted between them. The jaws have textured grooves on the inside fac
One-Handed Walker
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted one-handed walker for an individual having use of only one hand following a stroke. This simple but effective adaptation was created by cutting off the existing handles of the walker while managing to remove one of the handgrips intact. The handgrip was placed in the center of a new bar which spans the space between the two original handlebars. Underneath the handgrip, a single brake lever was mounted which was then connect
Oral-B Pro-Health Stages Battery Powered Kids Toothbrush featuring Disney's Finding Dory, Extra Soft Bristles, 1 Count
The Oral-B Pro-Health Stages Battery Powered Kids Toothbrush featuring Disney's Finding Dory, Extra Soft Bristles, 1 Count is a vibrating toothbrush designed for children ages 3 and up with sensory processing disorder to calm their anxiety and to promote oral hygiene. Crest Pro-Health + Oral-B Stages helps children brush their best with products designed to support healthy oral hygiene. The brush head is not replaceable. Gently brush each tooth. For toothbrushing only. Do not chew or bite on the
Outdoor Wheelchair Accessible Tables
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create customized outdoor wheelchair accessible tables for students with mobility disabilities. The Hunter Orthopedic School has 33 students with physical and/or intellectual disabilities from kindergarten to year 12. The school’s existing plastic tables were dilapidated and were not wheelchair accessible friendly. The school wanted to replace the tables with something different that may be supported in a different way making the tables easier for
Over-Bed Computer Work Station
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to work from bed or from a wheelchair. This unit consists of a two-layer table on metal legs equipped with casters for mobility. The table is at the appropriate height to enable it to be wheeled over the user's bed. The upper layer or section of the table can be rotated similarly to a lazy susan, while the lower section is fixed. Under the lower section is a small motor with a shaft which rotates the upper layer on rollers bet
Over-Chair Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with Parkinson's disease to engage in a variety of activities while seated in his recliner. The customized table has a large plywood base that fits under the chair and is held in place by the weight of the chair. The chair's castors slot into small holes in the base, holding both the chair and the table completely stable. A post with a spring-loaded carriage that moves up and down from a gym set was mounted to the base. The table support was br
Padded Armrest For Walker
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for a person with arthritis of the kees to support her weight on her forearms while standing with a walker. The individual used a lightweight aluminum walker with front wheels and rear glides. A padded armrest with a torso cutout and upright hadgrips was built and installed on the top front crossbar and existing handgrips. The rest consists of a plywood base with a torso cutout covered in a layer of foam and topped with soft vinyl. The upright hand
Paint Bush Holders
The Paint Brush Holder is a custom adaptation designed for children with grasping disabilities to easily paint. These Paint Brush Holders have been made with a ball grip and a T grip to make them easier for a child to grasp. I cut the paint brushes off short to make them easier to use. The paint brushes can be removed for easy cleaning or to change the color of the paint being used.
Peg Brush
This Peg Brush is a do it yourself paintbrush designed for occupational therapists of individuals with upper extremity disabilities to have them create artwork. It is made out of recycled materials. Instructions below.
Pen Grip
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with ALS to hold a pen. The Pen grip provided extra strength between thumb and forefinger to enable the user to hold the pen in place and write. The grip is made from a quarter-inch strip of splint plastic that becomes pliable when heated in near boiling water (available at medical supply stores). Each grip needs to be custom shaped (with trial and error) according to the user's gripping style and strength. Each arm of the grip comes arou
Phone Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with motor neuron disease to talk on the telephone in privacy. Because the individual no longer has use of his arms, the device needed to be adaptable to both a standard cordless phone and a cell phone. The holder is equipped with a gooseneck arm and clamps to the push handle of a wheelchair. Attached to the gooseneck arm is a plastic spring clamp with jaws lined with vinyl. A caregiver dials the number being called and places the phone in the
Pic Sym Stand
This Pic Sym Stand is designed for use by those individuals with upper extremity disabilities to use. The back is a pic sym stand is made from plastic wood so it is fully washable. In the front (both) is a pic sym strip with a handle on the back. This makes it portable, easy to use at circle time and also acts as a stand when the user sets it down.
Pic Sym Stand
The Pic Sym Stand is designed for individuals with lower extremity disabilities to communicate with. In the back is a pic sym stand made from plastic wood so it is fully washable. In the front (both) is a pic sym strip with a handle on the back. This makes it portable, easy to use at circle time and also acts as a stand when the user sets it down.
Plant Stem Clamp
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia and use of one hand to cut plant stems. The user has a spring-operated clamp worn on a rubberized rope around his neck. The clamp is used to steady the weed or plant stem, which can then be cut. TITLE: Fred's Garden. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol 21 no 4, Summer 2001: p. 17. PAGES (including cover): 2 2001.
Pool Ramp
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to access a pool either while walking or using a wheelchair. This ramp was constructed as part of the in-ground pool as part of the shell. Made of premium plaster to prevent cracking and crumbling, the ramp is enclosed by a deck railing for support while walking. The deck was also ramped to meet the doorway of the user’s home in anticipation of a future need for a wheelchair. TITLE: Doing It Yourself. JOURNAL: Quest.
Portable Bariatric Commode Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual to rise from a toilet when visiting friends or traveling. A folding frame was made from 22-millimeter steel tubing and finished with epoxy enamel. The side legs are attached to the back with standard hinges, which allow them to fold onto the back. The frame has armrests and a backrest. The legs have non-slip caps for stability. The seat is made of a single sheet of 14-millimeter plywood with a central hole that fits over the toilet bowl just ab
Portable Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a chair with a seat high enough for a user with mobility disabilities and upper extremity weakness to rise from that the user could transport to doctor appointment and other outings. A folding aluminum director's chair was purchased and aluminum tubing in the same dimensions as that of the chair frame was used to create extensions for the chair's legs. Internasl sleeves were inserted in the tubing and epoxy glue and pins were used to ensure strength. Alumin
Portable Communication Board with a Handle
The Portable Communication Board with a Handle is designed for those individuals with speech disabilities to communicate with. It is covered on both sides with burfab (velcro friendly material). It is lightweight and can be carried by a child if need be to keep communication or schedules close at hand.
Portable Seat For Archery
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To create a portable seat to assist an individual with cerebral palsy who competes in international archery competitions. The seat meets international requirements such as not having the legs dig into the ground and occupying only the amount of specified in the rules. The three-legged chair stands independently and enables the user to have his feet on the ground. The legs are made from powder-coated 19 millimeter steel tubing and meet at a central point under the seat
Portable Stand For Hospital Computer
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child in a hospital to use a computer while sitting or lying in bed or from a wheelchair. TITLE: Hospital Computer Stand. The concept for the stand was based on a cantilevered hospital bed table modified to accommodate the weight of the computer components while still being easily adjustable. Square metal tubing was used to make a stand for the table; the stand included a lockable metal box with two sheet metal doors at one end. The box houses a lockable g
Positioning Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide proper positioning for a child with neurological disabilities. An existing Sebel Hobnob Junior Chair was modified to meet the child's specific needs. A height-adjustable footrest that slides out from under the seat was added. The chair was also equipped with glides on the legs for easier movement, and ant-tips were added to the rear legs. For more precise support, a removable lateral plywood insert was added to the seat. The insert was removable when the ch
Positioning Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide proper positioning for a child with neurological disabilities. This table is designed to provide the child with proper postural positioning while allowing the child to concentrate on eating, playing, or educational activities while at the table. The table was made of plywood to dimensions specified by the child's therapist and provides space for two children. The table is height adjustable and has a torso cutout at one end to provide the child with close ac
Power Cord Containment Device
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized device to keep power cord out of wheelchair wheels for person with quadriplegia. Initial recommendations were that circuits be fitted with an Earth Leakage Protection circuit breaker (ELPCB) or Residual Current Device (RCD) in all cases where main power cables are involved in an occupational setting. With this in mind, 25 millimeter (mm) square aluminum tubing was used to make a 1,200 mm pole. The pole fits loosely into a 40 mm square alumi
Powerchair Quick Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To make a powered wheelchair shorter for use under existing tables. Replace the existing front casters with roller blade casters and the rear drive wheels with smaller drive wheels. DIMENSIONS: The front casters are 4 inches in diameter (104 millimeters) and the replacement rear wheels are 8 x 3 inches. WEB SITE: http://www.wheelchairmodifications.org. REF: Powerchair Quick Modification. Wheelchairmodifications can also be reached at 5533 A Pony Farm Drive, Richmond,
Powered Armchair Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted armchair for an adult with Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, a disease similar to Muscular Dystrophy, which causes muscle weakness and foot drop, making it difficult to walk. The individual had used a powered lounge chair to watch television. The chair had a remote control which tilted the chair at an angle that would lift the individual forward and hold him into an almost standing position to help him transfer to his walker and
Powered Elevated Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION -- PURPOSE: To provide a customized lifting chair for an individual with mobility disabilities that can be easily moved throughout a residential setting, including going through doorways. The chair has a U-shaped base made of rectangular hollow steel with a vertical post at the back, and large casters on the front ends of the U and smaller ones at the back. There are also larger bike-type wheels on either side which can be used to propel the chair if necessary. Additionally, th
Powered Kitchen Stool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with short stature and paralysis of the legs to access counters and the stovetop for cooking. Because the user lacked mobility, she had used a standard kitchen stool fitted with casters, but that proved unsafe. A custom stool was created with a frame of welded rectangular hollow steel. The stool was equipped with an electrolinear actuator that raises and lowers the seat. The actuator is an electric motor with a worm reducer that drives a vertic
Powered Oven Lifter
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with only partial use of the left hand and balance disabilities to transport food from the stove or oven to the counter or the table. The foundation of the lift was an existing overbed table that was rebuilt for kitchen use. The table section was relocated to allow for continuous elevations from 19 to 37 inches from the floor. The original top was removed and a new top fitted to the original brackets, after they were cut and rewelded at a
Powered Person-Lifter
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for a caregiver to lift an individual with multiple sclerosis from the floor after a fall. This lift has a frame made of welded rectangular hollow steel and a three-sided base which is closed at the rear of the device and open at the front. Casters were installed on the two closed corners and on the two open ends, with the casters on the open ends set outside the frame to leave room for the lift seat to move. The rear casters are equipped with brake
Powered Wheelchair Footrest
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis and severe footdrop to use a wheelchair without assistance. The woman is unable to lift her feet up to conventional footrests. A pair of powered footrests were designed and fabricated using automobile power window motors and switches. The footrests detach when not needed and
can be mounted on the wheelchair while the user is seated in it. Both footrests lower to ground level, enabling the user to slide her feet on or off.
Pram (Stroller) Modifications
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted pram (stroller) for a mother with cerebral palsy. The individual chose a pram that was heavy in the front so that it did not require any extra weight or other anti-tilt mechanisms. However the pedal brakes were still a problem, as the individual could not lift her foot to operate them without the risk of falling over. The brakes were converted to a hand operation while making sure that the changes didn’t interfere with the
Protective Cover For Wheelchair Controls
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To protect powered wheelchair controls from rain. See-through plastic covers were sewn with a slit in the top for access to the joystick. The covers function like bottomless boxes and fit snugly over the controls and the joystick anchors them in place. The covers were bound with bias tape in a color of the child's choice and decorated with glitter. The covers can be put on and removed as needed. TITLE: Under Cover. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol 22 no 1, Autumn 2002:
Pullout Sink
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation to use a sink in a small apartment bathroom for users of wheelchairs. This adaptation uses a small RV sink, flexible pressure hose and a set of drawer runners, to be able to bring the sink out from the wall. An RV sink is shallower than a typical sink and would need to be much higher than a lap. The RV sink has a 2-inch diameter drain. The 2-inch elbow needed for under the sink may be difficult to find, but may be found
Puppet Box
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with multiple disabilities with access to hearing testing. This box is used with children who are unable to understand instructions to signify when they hear certain sounds or are physically unable to do so. Instead, the child is taught to turn his/her head when a certain sound is heard, an instruction that is reinforced by lighting a puppet in the box. The box is painted with blackboard paint for a matte finish that does not reflect light. A black
Push Button Heater Control Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with rheumatoid arthritis to operate the lighting controls of a space heater. In order to light the space heater, two recessed buttons needed to be depressed simultaneously and held for several seconds. A tool was fashioned from the handles cut from a stroller. A wooden block with a slightly rounded end was glued into each handle. The user blaces the rounded blocks against the buttons while grasping the handles and using her body weight to pres
Push Handle Extensions
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a tall parent to push a child's wheelchair. The existing pish handles were sawed off the chair and new ferrules were fixed inside the exposed tubes with Loc-tite. Two new L-shaped handles were fashioned from metal tubing and one end of each was fitted into the new ferrules. The new handles were painted red to match the rest of the chair and finished with rubber bicycle-style handgrips. TITLE: Bicycle and Beyond. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number
PVC Pipe Crayon Adaptation
The PVC Pipe Crayon Adaptation is an occupational therapy product designed for those individuals with fine motor and upper extremity disabilities to draw (or eat) with.
Racing Wheelchair Stabilizer
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To facilitate transferring a child to a racing wheelchair. The unit has a plywood base with a pipe frame at the front to hold the front wheel; the front wheel is further secured with a Velcro strap. This stabilizes the racing wheelchair for ease of transfers in and out with one person assisting. The half-inch thick plywood base is made to the size of the wheelchair, and excess material is removed to create a lighter weight base. The pipe frame consists of one-in
Rails For Bus
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted rails for bus for an individual with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome. This individual has a rare syndrome which has resulted in developmental delay and challenging behaviors, and gets very anxious if she doesn’t feel secure. The home which the individual lives has a bus which is used to take the residents to their day placements and on outings at the weekend. Most of the residents use wheelchairs and are lifted in and out of the bu
Raised Height Shower Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a caregiver to provide bathing assistance without bending. An existing shower chair was adapted by extending the stainless steel frame under the seat. Equipped with casters, the chair legs were extended outwar approximately 100 millimeters and given additional bracing for stability and strength at the increased height. DIMENSIONS: The seat height was raised 250 millimeters. TITLE: Shower Chair Raised. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no. 2, Winter 2001:
Ramp To Tilt Wheelchair To Comfortable Eating Position
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair with tilt-in-space seating to eat independently. The user's disability prevents upright sitting, so a low-level ramp was constructed to raise the wheelchair's rear wheels. Seventeen millimeter lightweight plywood was used to construct the sloping portion of the ramp, and five slats of 50 x 25 millimeter wood were used to fashion a gutter to hold the rear wheels in place. The same type of wood was used t
Reading Stand For Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to read in bed. This device is attached to saddle-style mountings which rest on the bed rails. The holder can be moved closer to or farther from the user by sliding it along the rails. Tri-stud adjustments on either side permit up and down adjustment. The lectern surface is mounted on a 19 millimeter stainless steel frame, and the angle can be adjusted using a tri-stud clamp at the back. Movable elastic bands tied around the le
Rear Steer Bike Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted rear steering modification for a bicycle for a child with autism and global developmental delay. The child and her mother often go for walks around the local neighborhood and the mother thought it would be nice for the child to ride a bike on these outings. The child has limited balance and gross motor skills, but the mother still would need to give the child extra support as she grows. The child was assessed and then given
Reception Aids
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of one hand to perform office tasks. A multi-function board made of nine-millimeter plywood to enable the user to open envelopes, remove envelope contents, fold papers, staple papers, and stuff envelopes. The board has a flat piece that rests on a desk or table and is slightly larger than A4 size. A slot placed at a ninety-degree angle to the flat piece rests against the edge of the table; if needed, the user can lean against the slot
Reclining Chair Pic Syms
The Reclining Chair Pic Syms is a custom adaptation for a reclining wheelchair designed for individuals with severe physical disabilities to use in a classroom setting. This was a custom piece done for a student who was in a reclining chair for most of the school day. This rested snuggly on the arms of the recliner and was adjustable to the proper angle. This surface was a white board. Another carpeted surface velcroed onto this so pic syms could be placed on it. A mirror could also be velcroed
Recorder Holder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for a child with cerebral palsy to play the recorder. A two-part holder was creared using clear acrylic. The first part of the holder was a column of two-millimeter wide acrylic disks joined by a thin strip of acrylic. Each disk has a hole in the center, varying slightly in size to adjust for the instrument's tapered shape, creating frets about eight millimeters in diameter to guide the player's fingers. The finger guide was nounted on a stand with
Recumbent Tricycle
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spastic quadriplegia and vision and intellectual disabilities to cycle for exercise. The basic structure of the three-wheeled cycle was created using the front half of a 12-inch bicycle and the back half of a 16-inch bicycle. The single back wheel was replaced with two wheels on an additional frame made of steel pipe. The seat was made from a full-size Namco plastic seat shell mounted to the new cycle frame. Pressing a small lever under th
Reinforced Bed With Enclosure
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom-made bed for a child with Angelman syndrome to provide a safe and protected environment during sleep and periods of restlessness. The child had outgrown her previous modified cot and the new bed was needed to withstand the strenuous shaking the child applied during her periods of sleeplessness. The new design involved moving the child to a single mattress and building safety railings high enough so that she cannot climb over them a
Reinforced Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide seating for a child with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities, who rocked when seated. The chair needed to be strong enough to be difficult to rock and to be able to withstand any rocking motion generated while providing the needed positioning for eating and other activities. The chair base and frame were made of solid Tasmanian oak, with joints that are both screwed and glued. The seat, back, and base covering were
Reinforced Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To prevent children with cognitive disabilities and poor impulse control from rocking or throwing the chair. The chair frame was made from tubular steel and fitted with a steel seat and back. The backrest was slightly angled and curved for comfort. The legs were welded to steel plates which were bolted to metal floor plate with Tekscrews, creating a firm, immovable base. The chair was also equipped with a lap belt. TITLE: Reinforced Chair. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF
Reinforced Kitchen Gate
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To prevent an older child with learning disabilities from entering the kitchen unsupervised. An existing lattice gate that was not strong enough to deter a 7-year-old boy can be reinforced. The Gate was mounted on solid wood boards firmly screwed into both sides of the doorway. The lattice was renforced by a wooden bar mounted on a hinge on the same side of doorway to which the lattice collapses. The bar folds down onto the top of the closed gate and fastens to the oppo
Remote Elevator Control
CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --- PURPOSE: To create a remote control for a school elevator for a student with mobility disabilities. In order to keep the general school population from using the elevator, a security lock was installed. The student’s disability prevented him from using the key to that lock, preventing him from using the elevator. A customized adaptation was created using a battery-operated radio remote switch which was installed to bypass both the security switch and the call button. Pu
Remote Holder
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to operate a Logitech Harmony Universal Remote for an entertainment system. This remote has a touch screen and many small buttons near its edges. The individual is unable to hold the controller, but he can push the buttons. The user needed a holder for the controller that he could operate by himself, placed where he could get to it in his wheelchair and where it would point to all the devices to be contro
Removable Mobile Arm
Removable Mobile Arm is an adapted iPad communication device holder designed for people with communication disabilities to use. It was adapted for an iPad that was difficult for people with Cerebral Palsy to hold and use as a communication device. It was designed with an extended arm so the caregivers can easily attach the extended arm and the user can have control of bringing the iPad closer with the click of their head on mouse keys. The team also designed a rotator to allows users to easily t
Replacement Shower Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with spina bifida to shower independently. An existing shower seat had been custom built and mounted to the side wall of the shower at a slight angle to promote damage. The unit had a wooden seat covered with plastic, but over time water had penetrated the wood, causing it to rot and eventually break. A new seat base was made from 12 millimeter high-density polyethylene with rounded corners. Glued to the base was a sheet of closed-cell foam to
Riveter Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with Down Syndrome to operate a riveter. The concertina-style riveter was held with one hand while steadying a sign to be riveted. A stand was built to bear the weight of the riveter while holding it upright, The stand has a square steel base covered in thick plywood on which the sign to be riveted rests. An L-shaped steel is fastened to the base. The riveter is suspended form the top of the L on multi-strand stainless steel cable, with counter
Rocking Chair Adapter For Wheel Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To make it possible for a wheelchair to absorb the shocks from the involuntary backward and forward movements of a girl with cerebral palsy. This girl has broken parts of her chair several times previously. Instead of building a special rocking chair, it was decided to convert the wheelchair itself into a rocking chair. A device was built using 6-millimeter thick aluminium plate rolled to a suitable curve. The chair can be rolled onto the device and tied down. The devic
Rocking Chair With Concealed Rocking Mechanism
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable individuals with dementia to benefit from rocking while not risking injury if they disassemble the mechanism. The chair was constructed by attaching the upper part of a standard hospital Geri chair to a tubular steel base that moves the chair back and forth. The mechanism to move the chair was enclosed in order to prevent people from getting their feet caught in it. The seat of the chair is bolted to a square frame that has rods attached to the bottom. The ro
Rockstar Guitar Stand
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized guitar stand that attaches to a wheelchair for an adult male with cerebral palsy. The Rockstar guitar stand provides a safe and durable attachment for the user’s wheelchair which supports his electric guitar and keyboard. The device attaches to the armrest supports of the wheelchair and allows for adjustment of the guitar platform to the most comfortable position for the user. When brainstorming design ideas it was decided that
Rummy Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable seniors and individuals with fine motor disabilities or arthritis to play a rummy tile game. The tiles of the Rummy-O game were large enough to handle, but the holders that displayed and supported a hand of tiles proved unstable and the legs tended to fall off or collapse. New holders were fashioned of wood and a triangular support was fastened to the back of each holder to support it at an angle. The holders were painted and a piece of PVC plastic was attac
Runged Tabletop
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To provide children unable to stand without support with a table incorporating grips that provide support when standing or sitting. The rectangular tabletop is fitted to the base of a height-adjustable table and is made from a single piece of 12-millimeter (mm) plywood. On each lengthwise half of the tabletop, two sets of 37-centimeter (cm) long slots are cut using a router. These "rungs" are two cm wide on one half and three cm wide on the other to accommodate differen
Saliva Removal System
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide respiratory suctioning for an individual with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A pulmonary supplier, working with the user, created this two-station suction machine. One station is at the user’s bedside and the other at his computer. Collection jars are connected to medical tubing that runs through a baseboard to the basement where it connects to a suction machine that empties the jars. At each station, the jars are connected to suction tubing supported
Scooter Armrest Extensions
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To assist an individual with mobility disabilities in transferring from a scooter. The existing scooter armrests were altered so they can be moved forward to provide a point of support in front of the user during transfers and moved back at other times. The armrests are mounted on hollow square tubing, into which long slots, rather than single holes, were cut. The arms slide along the slot into the forward position for standing transfers and backward for standard use
Scooter Canopy
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To protect an individual who uses a scooter who is sun sensitive from sun exposure. This canopy is detachable and folds for transport and storage. The frame is made from steel and aluminum tubing and it is covered in sunbrella fabric (nylon or nylon/urethane material can also be used). Scaled drawings for the frame are available from the originator. OPTIONS: Plastic windows can be added for those seeking rain/snow protection rather than sun protection. TITLE: Th
Scooter Control Cover
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to use a scooter outdoors in inclement weather. Made of Lexan, the cover is shaped to fit over the scooter controls without getting in the way. Initially, the cover was attached with Velcro strips glued to the back of the handlebar mount and the cover itself. However, the Velcro did not hold the cover in place when the user reached under to insert the key. The Velcro was replaced with cable ties laced through small ho
Scooter Footrest
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a footrest on a scooter for an individual with severe arthritis. Because the individual was unable to bend his legs, he could not use the existing scooter floor/footrest. Instead, he rested his feet on the mudguards. However, this posed a problem when traveling downhill; because the rider could not brace himself, he would slide forward. To solve the problem, a new footrest was constructed of square metal tubing and attached to the front of the scooter, enab
Seat For Swimming Pool
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a seat for the swimming pool for a child with cerebral palsy. A pool chair was made based on a previous TADNSW adaptation (Bath Chair)—made from PVC pressure pipe and outdoor furniture fabric. The seat is mounted on a frame which has four sections. The seat section is secured with large suction cups which attach to the tiled step inside the pool, and below this are smaller ones which attach to the tiled step riser. There was some diff
Seat Insert For Sailboat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide safe, supported seating while sailing independently for an individual with cerebral palsy. The individual had purchased a fiberglass seat, but it did not provide sufficient support for her upper body. A contoured seat insert was created using foam and covered in fabric. The insert is attached to the fiberglass seat with Velcro. To provide additional support for her shoulders and prevent her from slipping forward or sideways, foam-padded wooden tabs were af
Seat Shell Adaptations
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide proper positioning for a child with multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and lung disease. The family owned a Medifab seat and insert that was used in the car and provided appropriate positioning and support. However, they found it inconvenient to transfer the seat from the car to the house each time it was needed. The solution was to create another shell for the seat insert using an existing Medifab mobile base frame that was not being used. The
Seating Support
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted seating support for a child with dystonic cerebral palsy. When sitting in a chair, the child pushes his pelvis forward and becomes uncomfortable, and the child concentrates more on sitting than on his books, crafts, and other activities. The family attempted to remedy the seating issue by adding a two-piece insert, the commercially available “tomato seat;" however, this device did not secure properly to the chair. The child
Senory Toy Frame
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized adapted sensory toy frame to provide a variety of stimulating activities for a child with developmental disabilities. The child already had a set of bongo drums, and the idea was to incorporate these into the frame along with other items, such as a steering wheel, a hooter and a bell. A rectangular frame was designed and built from pine and plywood that was specially adapted to clamp onto an existing table at the unit. The fr
Sensory Table
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted sensory table for children of different ages with hearing or visual disabilities. An adjustable table with a round wooden top, a metal frame, and adjustable legs was used for this adaptation. The top of the table was removed from the frame and four indents were cut into the sides of the table allowing four children to stand supported at the table. A plastic container was fitted through a hole cut in the table top and the sq
Shower Access Platform
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide access to a shower stall for an individual with mobility disabilities. The shower of the home was too small to allow a shower chair to be maneuvered and the base of the shower was recessed into the floor, making it difficult to pull the chair out of the shower. The solution was to develop a platform or false floor made of marine plywood. The platform was square with one corner cut out to fit around a small ledge in the shower. The plywood was treated with a
Shower Chair Adaptations
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To adapt a commercially-available shower commode chair to meet the safety needs of an individual with multiple sclerosis. Because the individual has spasms and tremors and has difficulty controlling his movements, he required assistance to remain upright and safe in the shower. To protect the individual's back from the metal bar across the back of the chair. A pad of closed-cell foam was attached to the back of the chair with straps made of seat belt webbing and finis
Shower Chair Rails
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to independently enter and exit a shower stall. Two lengths of steel were mounted between the front hob and a bracket screwed into the back wall of the shower stall. A frame to support the chair was mounted on rollers in the the steel with three stop positions. A release mechanism enables the user to choose which stop position is used. One stop is outside the shower, the second enables the user to place only the hands
Shower Commode Chair Stabilizer
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with multiple sclerosis to transfer safely to and from a shower commode chair. During transfers at the toilet, the chair tended to move sideways. The rear casters were replaced with braked casters and a mechanism was created to secure the chair to the wall when needed. A wooden plate was secured to the studs in the tiled wall and an L-shaped steel piece with semi-circular atachments was hinged to the plate. The steel piece locks over the lower
Shower Rail
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable a child with balance disabilities to steady him/herself in the shower. Designed to be completely removable and to provide balance assistance only, this grab bar is made of PVC pipe attached to commercial strength suction cups of the type used by glaziers to carry large panes of glass. PVC pipe uprights are fitted into the handgrips of the suction cups and joined to the horizontal bar with PVC joints. DIMENSIONS: The pipe is 31 millimeters in diameter. The grab
Shower Stool
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized adapted shower stool to allow a child with muscular dystrophy to wash his face and hair in the shower. Due to the child’s legs being abducted, he was unable to use the footplates on his commode to raise his legs and use a previous washing system. The child’s therapist suggested a separate footstool which would enable the child to sit in a stable position with his feet wide apart. After an in-home evaluation a device was created
Signal Glove
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation for a Boccia Ball player with limited mobility and communication disabilities which allows her to communicate to her personal assistance her wish to rise or lower the ramp (for speed) and aim the ramp (for direction). The Signal Glove has color coded strips that correspond to the colors on the four ramp height settings and a set of arrows to indicate the direction change desired. The player, with very little hand moveme
Sink Access Stairs
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a teenage girl with short stature to independently access a bathroom sink. A three-step ladder was made of stainless steel tubing. Bent into a D shape, the side rails of the ladder act as handrails for the user. Stair treads for the ladder were made of waterproof plywood coated with polyurethane and painted with non-slip tread deck paint. Crutch caps were fitted to the ends of the legs. TITLE: Bathroom Access. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 27, Number 3,
Skeasy, The
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable individuals who use walkers or crutches to ski. The skeasy is made up of an inner pair of short skis on which the person stands with the aid of a walker-like frame. The frame is attached to a pair of outer parabolic skis. The outer skis are set at about 22 degrees of inside edging and the are snowplowed (tips in) slightly. The inner and outer skis are connected, front and back, by strong, flexible rubber strips. The unit is always connected by a tethe
Skiing Wheelchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation for an individual with mobility disabilities who must remain in his wheelchair (i.e. cannot be removed and placed another apparatus) to be taken along on a cross country ski trip. The Skiing Wheelchair uses skis that are parabolic and essential in allowing the chair to turn easily when pressure is applied down through the handgrips. The triangular frame is made of ¼ inch by 1.5 inch mild steel to support the user an
Skipping Rope
allowing a child with left erb’s palsy (limited arm function) to skip rope independently. Due to the erbs palsy the child cannot hold the skipping rope and turn it in the normal way. A custom adaptation was designed which encloses one section of a skipping rope in a U-shaped piece of 10 millimeter aluminum tubing, with a small L-shaped indentation in one corner of the U. The bottom of the U-shaped section is strapped onto the child’s stomach by a belt that goes across her back, and her left arm
Sleeping In Comfort System
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted system to raise and lower legs at night for an individual with muscular dystrophy. The man with muscular dystrophy began using a ventilator at night and had to start sleeping on his back. He developed severe pain in his knees after three hours of sleeping in this position due to pressure that built up on his kneecaps. The individual was unable to change positions in the night without assistance, and since he lived independe
Sleeping Wedge
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted wedge for sleeping for a young adult with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Initially an abduction wedge was used to assist in keeping the young adult’s hips in correct position after repeated surgeries. However, while the wedge is no longer needed for orthopedic reasons this individual does not feel comfortable sleeping without it but has since outgrown the original wedge. The new design had to account for variations in body me
Sling-A-Roo
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom leg exercise sling for elderly individuals with disabilities. Individuals recovering from hip and/or knee surgery who need to start walking with the support of a frame may be unable to hold their affected leg up for any length of time. The solution is an adjustable, soft brace that straps onto the lower leg with adjustable straps to hang off the support frame allowing for adjustments for individuals of different heights. The Sling-
Small Wooden Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide seating to encourage development of trunk control for children with balance or lower extremity disabilities or other physical disabilities. Made of plywood, these chairs have a low back and armrests and enable children to sit with their feet flat on the floor. The chairs are well-braced for added strength. TITLE: Happy Seating. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 27, Number 3, October 2007: p. 9-12. PAGES: 5. (including cover).
Snowmobile Rack
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a manual wheelchair to transport the wheelchair while snowmobiling. A one-piece bolt-on frame to carry the chair was constructed of steel tubing. A hole was drilled in the wheelchair frame to mount a bracket. A chain was attached to prevent losing the mounting pin. Hinge and clamping bolts were used for security. As the rack tends to rotate around the lift bar, double-sided tape can be used to prevent this; however a dowel pin to
Solar-Powered Scooter
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted power source for a motorized scooter for an individual with mobility and various disabilities. The individual lives in Florida and the uses the scooter for mobility outside of the home. An adapted battery and canopy that uses solar energy provides a piece of mind during electrical outages due to hurricanes and other disasters. To create this adaptation, William Heckenstaller of Gulf City Solar, in Bonita was contacted. Ins
Speaker Box to Amplify Tablet Sound & Vibrations
The Speaker Box to Amplify Tablet Sound & Vibrations is a Do It Yourself system designed for those individuals with hearing and neurological disabilities to amplify their tablet speakers’ sound and vibration. This fun piece of kit is called the "Darch Resonator" in honor of its creator, Dave Darch. It is a simple hack to make a basic speaker box, to mount and hold a small capsule speaker to use with an iPad to amplify sound. This enhances the iPad as an accessible musical instrument.
Special Bicycle Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with neurological disabilities the opportunity to ride a bicycle. A standard child's bicycle was outfitted with an eight-inch seat, large footcups, a fixed rear wheel, rear outrigger stabilizer wheels, a high riser bar, a pelvic belt, trunk stabilzer fins with mesh straps, and a tow bar mounted to the front handlebar. In addition, a brace was fixed beneath the pedal-mounted footcups. The brace wraps around the child's calf to hold his foot in the pr
Special Guitar Pick
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with weakness of the hands to use a guitar pick. The Special Pick was constructed of moldable splint material. The pick of choice is attached first to the "L" shaped form of the holder. The whole form is then heated in near boiling water and, when pliable, wrapped tightly around the thumb and forefinger. Held in this position the hand is run unter cold water until the plastic sets. The end result is a pick firmly held in the correct posit
Spinbrush Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Spider-man
The Spinbrush Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Spider-man is an electric toothbrush designed for children ages 3 and up with neurological disabilities to promote oral hygiene. With fun handle designs, the child enjoys spider-man, iron man, hulk, skateboard, butterfly, Pikachu and Wolverine have smaller powerheads to fit smaller mouths, massage gums, and promote a lifetime of happy, healthy brushing. Children brush 38% longer when using a Spinbrush battery-powered toothbrush. Promotes healthy brushing
Squirrel Stander Adapted For Use At Easel
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a children at an early intervention center to stand at an easel. This stander has a plywood base and radiata pine uprights and a fabric back. The base is adjustable so the frame tilts up to 10 degrees backward. The fabric back is made of Brezeway, fabric used for outdoor furniture, for strength, ventilation, and softness. A torso strap and a strap to stabilize each leg are also made of Breezeway doubled over and fastened with Velcro in the back of the frame.
Stabilizer For Commode Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable people who have lateral balance disabilities safely use a commode chair. Two small rubber-tipped triangular arms are bolted to the bottom of the chair's steel frame and have small casters attached on the outside bottom edge. The arms swing out to a 45-degree angle, at which they stabilize the chair and prevent it from tipping sideways or backward. When the arms are folded in, the wheels are in place to tilt the chair back and roll it along. The arms are held
Stable Recliner Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To stabilize a recliner equipped with casters and elevate it for easier sitting and rising. The chair's casters caused it to move when the user leaned against it while sitting down. A wooden frame was made to fit under the chair and stained to match the upholstery. The frame included insets to hold the casters and helped to elevate the chair. DIMENSIONS: The frame is 110 millimeters high and elevates the chair by 75 millimeters. TITLE: Post Stroke Assistance. JOURNAL
Stand For Baby Bath
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted baby bath stand for a mother with cerebral palsy. The individual bought a plastic baby bath, but she couldn’t use this in the bottom of the main bath as she couldn’t bend over far enough from a kneeling position. The baby bath stand/platform was made from marine-grade plywood and spray-painted with white enamel to waterproof it. This rests over the main bath, with timber stops underneath to keep it in position. There is a h
Stand For Tty
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with cerebral palsy with a speech disability to communicate using a TTY. When the unit sat flat on a table, the user was unable to reach the keyboard. Initially, she used a telephone book and a pair of towels to prop the device at the extremely precise angle she required. A simple angled stand was then constructed of melamine-coated MDF. However, the angle of the stand proved to be too shallow to meet the user's needs. The stand was adapted by
Standing Frame
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with global developmental delays and low muscle tone with forward-leaning support while standing. This prone stander enables the child to be upright and to develop a tolerance for weight-bearing. Built to a therapist's specifications, the stander provides forward-leaning support and can be adjusted from upright to 30 degrees from vertical. The unit has a square tube steel frame, a wooden trunk support and footplate, fabric-covered foam padding, ches
Standing Frame Adaptation Of The Lazy Squirrel
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized standing frame for children unable to stand unaided. A standing frame allows children to be upright, thus assisting with digestion, circulation, and breathing. Children can also bear their own weight, which may assist in developing bone density, limb coordination and strength. The standing frame designed suggested is the “Lazy Squirrel” or “Squirrel” for short. The Squirrel is designed to provide well-supported vertical standing. It has a plyw
Standing Frame Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To repair a stander for an individual with cerebral palsy. Two of the four locking casters on the stander had broken and the tires had hardened with age, putting the unit in danger of moving as it was placed in a horizontal position for transfers. The existing casters were replaced with new ones. In addition, the nuts for the quarter-inch tri-screws used to adjust the unit had worn out. The nuts were drilled out of the frame and tapped out to accept larger tri-screws,
Standing Wheelchair
This is a standard wheelchair with custom adaptations converted into a manual stand up wheelchair designed for use by individuals with lower extremity, mobility, or neurological disabilities or spinal cord injury. By putting the body in a standing position, the chair provides users with better blood circulation, kidney and bladder functioning, as well as muscle tone. In addition the ability to place persons in a standing position reduces muscle contracture and bone decalcification, thereby reduc
Step Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide an individual with post-polio syndrome with a means of negotiating shallow outdoor steps at the gate to enter the home. This step aid consists of an angled polystyrene block attached to a tubular handle that finishes in a crutch ferrule. The block creates an intermediate step between the ground and the top of the step being negotiated. The angled design accommodates unevenness in the footpath. A lock was added to the device to enable the user to secure the
Step Block Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized step block to provide stability, and allow a person with cerebral palsy to step up unaided. Twenty millimeter (mm) steel tubing is used to form a U-shaped frame that goes around the three sides of the step block. The frame has four uprights that descend to each of the four corners of the step. Holes are drilled into the corners of the step block, and the frame is fitted with metal saddles which are bolted through the underside. The frame is pai
Step Lift
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To allow a person with mobility disabilities to traverse a step when installation of a ramp or other type of stair lift is not practical. Have a qualified installer install a deck mount van lift, attaching it to the upper floor of the step. The floor support structure should be checked to determine if it has adequate strength to allow operation of the lift. (Additional support may need to be added.) Power to lift should be obtained from a deep-cycle 12-volt automotive
Stepladder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with arm weakness following a fracture to reach storage boxes on a bedroom cupboard shelf. The stool needed to be small enough for use in a small bedroom, light enough to be moved as needed, and have a means of supporting the box taken from the cupboard. A two-step stool was built of 12 millimeter hoop pine plywood. The lower step has a routed slot on each side and slides out like a drawer along dowels, enabling it to be tucked away when not i
Stool For Koala Corner Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with cerebral palsy to us a corner chair with his legs extended in front of him. Since the Koala Chair (see separate entry) was designed for sitting with the knees bemt, an extension stool was built. Made of 10 millimeter (mm) plywood, the stool is basically a box with a top that is height adjustable using a tri-nut. The stool latches to the base of the chair and is padded with fabric-covered foam attached to the stool with Velcro. DIMENSIONS: The fo
Stroke Rehab Exerciser
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable individuals undergoing stroke rehabilitation of the arms to exercise independently. This modified chair has two 5/8-inch steel "runners" firmly attached on either side with both vertical and horizontal sponge padded steel slider tubes that allow for consistent, controlled exercise of both the left and right arm, as required. Another chair on either side allows for multiple users. TITLE: The Stroke Rehab Exerciser. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http:
Stroller Handle Extension
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with short arms and no opposable thumbs to transport a child in a stroller. A commercially-available stroller was adapted by adding a handle extension made of a steel tube covered with softer padded tuving. The extension is mounted to the existing handle with spring-loaded swivel clips, which lock it in place while still allowing it to be turned down when the stroller is loaded into a car. An additional section which goes behind the user's back
Stroller With Drip Feeder Attached
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable a child with mobility and eating disabilities to be taken out of the house for longer periods of time. A drip feeder (consisting of a bag with liquid nutrients, a battery-powered electric pump, and flexible plastic tubing between the bag, pump and child) is mounted on a child's stroller. The pump is mounted on a wood post attached to the center of a metal base bolted to across the back of the stroller frame. The diameter of the post is identical to that of the
Sturdy Heavy Load Bedside Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a sturdy, heavy load table accessible from an individual’s bedside for a person with quadriplegia. The table has a U-shaped base and post made from square steel, with 3-inch castors on the four points of the U. Attached to the top of the post is a rectangular square steel frame on which rests a wooden table top with a lip to stop items from falling off. The wooden top has two handles on one side so that an individual can move it easily. The table is useful
Stylus Steadier
The Stylus Steadier is a do it yourself adapted stylus holder designed for individuals to hold their pencil, paintbrush writing utensil steady. Instructions below.
Super Jogger
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide outdoor mobility for a teenager with cerebral palsy. The teenager had outgrown the child’s jogging stroller she had used outdoors for hiking and rugged terrain. The existing three-wheeled jogging stroller was redesigned and rebuilt to accommodate her. To bring the center of gravity more over the wheels, the wheels were moved in relation to the chassis and the frame rebuilt. The original aluminum tubing was reused and extended where necessary. To widen the s
Supine Stander
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide standing ability for a child unable to stand unaided. Made of plywood, the unit is hinged at the bottom to enable the unit to be tilted as needed. A sliding metal rod at the back holds the frame in place. The stander is equipped with a tray that moves with the stander to keep it parallel to the ground. Semi-circular aluminum brackets under the tray pivot on the tray support bar for the necessary movement. The stander is also equipped with two pairs of padde
Supine Standing Frame
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted standing frame for a child with migrating partial epilepsy in infancy (MPEI) to allow for therapeutic standing. The child had outgrown her Lazy Squirrel Frame that she used for home and at pre-school. The new adaptation allows the child to stand up and hold her own weight upright which is good for her muscles and enables her to engage more actively with others. The adjustable padded supports and straps on the frame support
Support Chair Adaptation Of The Koala Corner Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized, stable seating and positioning device for a child with cerebral palsy. This device was adapted from a previous adaptation “The Koala.” The Koala is a pedestal seat with a winged back, and is generally used with a seat cushion and pelvic belt. It comes with a large adjustable-height table, which has lipped edges to stop objects from falling off, and latches into position behind the back edges of the seat. The version used by the child with cere
Support Fixture For Powered Wheelchair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a support fixture for a powered wheelchair for a woman with a progressive neurological disorder to travel independently away from the hospital with all her required medical pumps and support devices. This young woman is dependent on getting her food and medications through pumps attached to her powered wheelchair by a customized bracket. As her medical needs have increased she needed three additional pumps to meet her needs, but the bulk an
Support Frame For Bath Insert
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To support a bathtub insert at a height that is comfortable for the parents when bathing a child with cerebral palsy. The frame is constructed of 20- millimeter stainless steel tubing welded into a rectangular frame with legs at all four couners and in the center of each of the longer sides. Rubber feet at the bottom of each leg provide traction for the frame. The frame can stand in a bathtub, and the bathtub insert can be filled by a hose attached to the tap below or a
Support Rail
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom modification of support rail on an adjustable bed for a mother with multiple sclerosis. The individual bought an adjustable bed so she could raise the head to sit up comfortably and breastfeed her son. She had a support rail under the mattress of her old bed to help her turn over and get safely in and out of bed, but it was not stable enough when used in the same way with the new bed. A new rail was custom-made and designed to be m
Swing Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a swing seat for a child with Multicystic Leukoencephalopathy and poor motor skills. A customized swing seat was made using a Sebel Junior Hobnob seat shell. A frame for the seat was made by bending two lengths of square steel tube to form side pieces, and bracing these at the rear and underneath with two more pieces of tube. Bolted to the brace under the seat are rigid hanging members made from round steel tube, which keep the seating
Swivel Chair For Dining Table
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a chair that allows a person to swivel into position at a dining room table. Cut the legs of a barstool with a swivel seat to a height that allows the resulting chair to fit under a dining table. Using wood screws or nails, attach a plywood base to the four legs of the chair for stability. If necessary, place an additional cushion on the seat to bring the person to the proper height for eating. MATERIALS: Bar stool with swivel seat; plywood; nails or wood s
Table For Use In Bed
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation for a table for use in bed to hold remote controls for an individual with quadriplegia. A small table with a small cushion at the based filled with polystyrene beads was made. The cushion is medium stuffed so that it is very stable and will stay in the position it is pushed into. A table top was made from a plywood base with a lip around all four sides to prevent items from falling off. A piece of non-slip mat was added to the table but
Tabletop Bowling Game
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide recreation and therapy for seniors and individuals with coordination and mobility disabilities. Based on a no-longer available Australian game called Bobs, the unit consists of a three-sided frame built from nine millimeter plywood. The frame is divided into nine lanes with an arched opening at the front. Above the lanes is an arched board bearing the numerical value for each lane in stick on-numbers. Players roll a large bearing up the table and through the
Tactile Attendance Board
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable a blind receptionist to track availability of staff members. Magnetic markers are placed on a grid to indicate the "in" or "out" status of staff members. Thin lines of self-adhesive foam are applied to the board to tactiley mark its columns and rows, and braille is added to the name markers and the in and out indicators. AUTHOR: Buskirk, J. & Gillespie, J. TITLE: Adaptations for An Agency Receptionist. JOURNAL: RE:view. REF: Vol. 36, No. 4, Winter
Tad Customized Toilet Step And Rail
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable a child with small stature or balance disabilities to access the toilet with little or no assistance. This combination step and safety rail is designed to fit in front of and on both sides of a standard toilet. It consists of a two steps with grab bars and a frame that extends along both sides and behind the toilet. It can assist with accessing the toilet, provide lateral support while seated or standing, and assist with rising from a seated position. The rai
Tad Tilt-In-Space Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable a child to have her position changed without leaving the chair. This standard child's tilt-in-space chair, designed by Technical Aids for the Disabled (TAD), Australia, was customized to meet the specific needs of an 18-month old child with Aircardi syndrome with little head and trunk control. Made of plywood, this chair adjusts from upright to 55 degrees of tilt to enable the child to sit upright for eating, drinking, etc. while providing relief from the eff
Tad Toilet Step And Rail
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable a child with small stature or balance disabilities to access the toilet with little or no assistance. This safety rail is designed to fit in front of and around a child-sized toilet and consists of a slightly raised platform with grab bars and a frame that extends along both sides and behind the toilet. It can assist with accessing the toilet, provide lateralsupport while seated or standing, and assist with rising from a seated position. The rail is made of t
Tag-Along Bike
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted tag-along bike for a child with spastic diplegia. The child has his own custom adapted bike but when on outings with his family he found it difficult to keep up and cycle long distances. Since he was too large for a baby seat a tag-along adaptation appeared to be a good solution. A prototype was created that was compatible with components used to modify FREEDOM WHEEL bikes, such as the U-frame, high-riser bar, and postural
Tailgate Lifter
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility and neurological disabilities to open a lift-up station wagon tailgate to access a scooter lift. A spring-loaded arm was mounted inside the tailgate on the same side as the scooter lift. The arm assists in pushing the door open during the first thirty centimeters of opening before the vehicle's built-in gas struts took over. A roller on the end of the arm rolls against the tailgate as it rises. The plastic door lining was reinforc
Telephone Holster
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a wheelchair to transport and keep within reach a cordless telephone. A tube with an open top and a closed bottom was made of weatherproof material. The tube was fastened underneath the wheelchair seat with the phone's antenna extending into reach while staying close to the side of the chair. TITLE: The Telephone Holster. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com/COMPLETE/telhol.htm. REF: The originator,Bru
Telephone Shelf
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To create an accessible area for telephone use for an individual with multiple sclerosis. A double wall-mounted shelf was built, with the top shelf accommodating the telephone on a rotating base. A second shelf provides storage for a telephone directory, mail, and other items. The shelf is a right angle to the user's work area, enabling the phone to be answered from her work chair and eliminating the need to walk to answer the phone. TITLE: Customised Furniture. JOURN
Telephone Stand
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to access his home telephone. An existing overbed stand was adapted using the wall-mount bracket that came with the telephone. The bracket was mounted to the stand and the phone base attached to the bracket. The base is upside down, facing the user while he is lying on the bed. Consequently, the handset could not be placed in the base when not in use or for charging. A separate metal clip was attached to the stand to hold the
Tennis Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of only one arm to throw a tennis ball up to strike it with the racquet. A strip of Velcro was cut to the appropriate length to strap around the user’s disabled arm. A piece of electrical conduit was cut to form a cup and attached to the Velcro with a Lexan plate. The user places the tennis ball in the cup and raises his foreshortened left arm to throw the ball up. He then uses the right hand to serve. TITLE: One-handed Tennis. JOURNAL
The Pill Reminder
--- "DO IT YOURSELF" ENTRY ------- PURPOSE: The Pill Reminder is an Arduino controlled device to prompt a person when it is time to take their pills. The Pill Reminder has 14 pill compartments. Each compartment corresponds to one day of the week. Each day of the week has two compartments, one for morning pills and one for evening pills. Each pill compartment has an LED above it. Twice each day, morning and evening, the Pill Reminder will turn on the appropriate LED to indicate which pill compa
Therapy Steps Set
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create custom adapted three-piece therapy steps set for children with various disabilities to use in a therapy room at an intervention service organization. The steps needed to be wide enough for two people to walk on them side by side, and heavy enough to be stable but light enough to be moved around by two people. The design includes three separate sections, two step sections, and a one-square-meter central platform which goes in between them.
Thermostat Control Arm
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities and who uses a wheelchair to adjust the thermostat in her apartment. A frame of copper tubing was already mounted on the wall near the thermostat in order to mount an Adjustable Telephone Support. The frame has spare space, and additional items can easily be attached to it using small, narrow hose clips. A new bracket, complete with a lever, was assembled and attached to the frame. The user is able get to
Tilt Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom tilt seat for a powered wheelchair. Accelerated Rehab in Texas creates after market seating systems for wheelchairs. A system that meets the needs of the user is created to fit any wheelchair to custom measurements. The existing tilt seat no longer provided sufficient support for the user. The new seat was taller and an adjustable headrest was added to the back. The adjustments were made using a J2 back. Flip-up armrests and new footrest hangers we
Tilt-In-Space Chair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with global developmental delays and low muscle tone with appropriate seating and positioning. The chair is made of lightweight plywood and is angle-adjustable from upright to 45 degrees reclining using trinuts. This enables the user to sit upright for as long as can be tolerated and then recline as needed. The chair is equipped with a tray clamped to metal slides, making it adjustable in height and tilt, and enabling it to follow the angle of the c
Tilt-In-Space Chair
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted tilt-in-space chair for a child with multiple disabilities. This adaptation is designed for children with special support needs, the child can be tilted back from an upright position to a 45 degree recline. This type of chair is useful for when a child needs to be upright for certain activities such as eating, but cannot tolerate this position for long periods of time. The child was measured for accuracy and the chair was m
Todd Bath Seat
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with global developmental delays and low muscle tone with appropriate seating and positioning for bathing. The chair is made of PVC pressure pipe and fittings, with a seat and back of outdoor fabric. The seat is also equipped with a webbing pelvic strap and crotch strap. The base frame is fitted with suction cups for security and stability. The seat back is fixed at 90 degrees to the seat and the entire seat unit can be reclined from 32 to 50 degree
Toggle Tv Controller
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a TV remote for an individual with extreme mobility disabilities can use to change TV channels independently. A universal TV controller is opened and lead wires were carefully soldered to the appropriate contact points for the “channel up”. The wires were then lead to a standard buddy switch (can be a DYI). The controller is mounted on a universal swivel joint so it can be pointed at the TV. The joint is can be place
Toilet Access Platform And Rail
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a toilet access platform and rail for a child with Multicystic Leukoencephalopathy and poor motor skills. The frame was made from round steel tube painted white, the frame goes right over the toilet to support a plywood backrest and side rails which the child uses both to access the toilet and keep his balance on the seat. There is also a wide plywood platform in front of the toilet with non-slip strips attached. All the timber is fin
Toilet Flush Lever
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted toilet flush lever for an individual with multiple sclerosis (MS) and wheelchair user. Flushing the toilet was becoming increasingly difficult because a commode occupies the space on one side of the toilet and there is a wall on the other side, making it not possible to bring the wheelchair alongside the cistern. The user had to lean right over the length of the toilet bowl to reach the flush button from her chair. An adapt
Tool For Undoing Video Reel Containers
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with cognitive disabilities to open video reel cartons. This small tool undoes the tabs of the cartons that have to be reversed for recycling. The tool is a metal blade with small teeth at either end which can be hooked under the folded carton tabs to undo them without damaging the carton. The tool is equipped with a wide wooden handle to accommodate users with limited manual dexterity. TITLE: Making Work Easy. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 12
Tool To Open Gate
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with post-polio syndrome who uses a wheelchair to open the childproof gates in a retirement village. A tool was constructed of a long piece of aluminum tube and a piece of aluminum sheet. A bicycle handgrip was added to one end of the tube and a shaped piece of aluminum sheet was rivited to the other end. The aluminum sheet has a U-shaped cutout that fits around the lock pin and enables the user to lift the pin. TITLE: Retirement Projects. JOUR
Toy Shopping Cart
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments with a safe play and walking aid. The handlebar of the cart was extended up and back toward the child and the rear wheels were fixed and extended back to prevent tipping when the child leaned her weight on the handlebar. A board covered with colorful stickers was attached to the front of the cart to minimize damage from inadvertent bumping. TITLE: Playing and Growing
Traditional Cord Phone Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a modified phone receiver for a traditional cord phone accessible from an individual’s bed side for a person with quadriplegia. A traditional cord phone was adapted to be answered by a flick of a lever for individuals who can’t pick up the receiver or use traditional corded phones. This device is no longer necessary since the individual now uses a cordless phone. TITLE: Bedside Facilities. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 28, Number 2, July 2008, p. 12-13.
Travel Cushion
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted seat cushion for a senior with advanced osteoporosis. Using previous cushions as a model, a new set of cushions that are 420 by 475 millimeters and joined by a 75 millimeter spine, with a 50 millimeter-thick Dunlop Enduro foam filling were created. The long-wearing fabric covers are zippered so they can be taken off for washing. Two pieces of 39 millimeter wide webbing form the handles. The travel cushions have made it poss
Travel Vest
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To identify a travelor with vision disabilities as being disabled while negotiating public transportation. A standard mesh safety vest was purchase and a label reading "Diabled Passenger" was created using a permanent marker. The label was sewn to the vest. TITLE: Travelling Vest. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 25, Number 1, Autumn 2005: P. 9. PAGES: 2 (including cover
Tray For Aligning Documents
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with use of one hand to staple and clip documents. An A-4 sized document tray with edges on three sides was fabricated from rectangular aluminum sheet. A cutout in the top left corner enables the user to staple or paper clip the document. The tray can also be used to rubbber band groups of documents. The rubber band is hooked over the right corner of the tray and then hooked over the left side. The papers and the rubber band are lifted off the
Tray For Wheelchair
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with mobility disabilities to shop and carry items. Designed for use on a variety of wheelchairs, the tray was fashioned of PVC with a lip at the front made of aluminum angle to prevent items from falling off. The tray attaches to the wheelchair with Velcro for attachment and removal. TITLE: In the Basket. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Vol. 21 no. 2, Winter 2001: p. 17. PAGES (including cover): 2 2001.
Treatment Ladder
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means of helping a child with cerebral palsy to stand independently, to practice dressing while standing, and to provide an aid to practice moving from sitting to standing. The ladder has two pine uprights, each attached to a stable ski-shaped base. Five rungs made of 19 millimeter (mm) dowels are mounted to an inner upright that is height-adjustable using a tri-nut. DIMENSIONS: The height adjusts from 100 to 400 mm above the floor. TITLE: Keeping Active.
Tricycle Back Support
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation for a child with difficulties in supporting herself in the standing or sitting position; which allows her to ride her tricycle while providing firm support to hold her upright and her feet in place. The back support is built from 1/16 inch by 1 ½ inch metal strapping welded to the vertical tube just under the sat and shaped to provide a vertical “post” just behind her back. The vertical portion is in two parts with a se
Tricycle For Child With Short Stature
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with short stature with a tricycle. The project began with a standard child's 12-inch bicycle. To create the required frame size, the frame sections were cut apart and the seat tube was shortened. The pieces were then realigned and welded back together. The pedal crank was shortened and new holes were drilled to mount the pedals. A custom-made tricycle adapter was made to replace the single rear wheel with two wheels, widely spaced. Smaller handleb
Trouble Game Adaption
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customize adaptation of the Trouble game for a child with severe disabilities. Pushing the little dome to roll the dice was not something this child could do so first we cut the dice dome out of the game. Next an adapted dice was located on Ebay. Next the adapted dice are attached in the center of the game where the dice dome would be. A strip of duct tape across the back was used to hold it in place.
Strips of Velcro were added to the b
Turn a Cardboard Box Into a Playhouse
Turn a Cardboard Box Into a Playhouse is a do it yourself product designed for children with sensory processing disorder to play in.
Tv Controller 2
CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adaptation of a TV remote for individuals with arthritis and/or fine motor disabilities. Lexan material was heated and shaped to fit various television remote controllers. Small tabs are bent at right angles over the buttons to be operated. In many settings, such as a hospital, volume can be preset so that only three tabs are required for off/on, channel up, and channel down. The unit can be placed on a non-slip rubber base or fastened to a
Two Customized Ramps
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted wheelchair ramps for a mother with multiple sclerosis. The individual lives in an older-style house with slight changes in floor level at several of the doors, including the entry to the house, and she was not able to get her wheelchair over these unaided. There are commercially available ramps for such situations, but these did not fit the specific dimensions that she needed. Two customized ramps were built to solve the pr
Usb Port Adaptation
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with cerebral palsy to insert a memory stick into the USB port of a computer. The USB port has a lead which extends from the back of the computer. A wooden block that clamps together with a tri nut was devised to hold the socket at the correct angle and position to make it accessible to the user. An additional block of wood was added to the bottom to provide stability. With the socket in position, the user can insert the memory key. TITLE: Co
Van Raam Wheelchair transporter Velo-Plus 2
The VeloPlus wheelchair transport bike is designed for transporting people in a wheelchair by cycle. Users can remain seated in their own wheelchair; the passenger is not required to be transferred between the wheelchair and the cycle. The co-rider can be wheeled on to the plateau of the cycle easily without having to be lifted. The tilted ramp makes it easier to roll the wheelchair on to the wheel-chair bike and fasten it properly with the wheelchair lock. The low positioning of the chair on th
Van Seat Extention
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable transfers from the second row seat on the door side of a van, which was too distant for easy transfer. A padded box seat was built to temporarily fill the gap while the passenger enters the van. The box seat is removed to close the door. TITLE: The Van Seat Extention. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutions.com. REF: The originator, Tom Jeary, can be contacted at tlj@golden.net.
Video Reel De-Spooler
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable individuals with cognitive disabilities to de-spool video reels for recycling. The devices consists of a holder with slots for four reels, with rollers made from typewriter platens underneath. A small motor turns the rollers which rotate the reels, causing the tape to come off the reels and fall into a garbage bag. The light belts driving the rollers provide enough force to turn the reels, but not enough to damage anything else that touches them. TITLE: Maki
Walker / Traymobile
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to have walking assistance whille carrying needed items. A four-legged wooden frame was constructed, with corner posts set at a height to enable the user to hold on to them. The front legs have casters. The frame is equipped with two carrying trays, each with a lip on all four sides to keep items from falling off. The lower tray is set in from the edge of the frame to provide space for the user's legs. DIMENSIONS: The
Walker Adaptations
--- CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To adapt a standard walker for more efficient use outdoors. A larger lower inverted-U shaped crossbar was added to the front of the walker and large double casters with tires were attached to this bar to ensure proper tracking, while still maintaining the push-down braking action. In addition, the angle and position of the handgrips were adjusted by cutting a piece of steel that slides into the existing handle and drilling a hole in the new piece to hold it in p
Walker Armrests
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted armrests for a walker to be used by an individual with cerebral palsy and limited mobility. A previous modification to the walker added a padded, curved bar for the individual’s safety, but the existing gutter split armrests were at the wrong angle for his posture and were not comfortably padded. The existing armrests were removed, and two new rests created from a 12 millimeter ply base and 25 millimeter foam pads covered i
Walker Brake System
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized braking system to a walking frame for use by a person with spina bifida, necrosis, and thrombosis. The walker was adapted by attaching a pair of locking bicycle hand-brake levers to the handlebars of the walking frame. The hand-brake cables are connected to the L-shaped brake friction bars to engage for both sets of rear wheels. The bars have a spring return so that the brakes can be easily applied and released when used on a steep slope such a
Walker Carrier
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walker carrier frame for an individual with mobility disabilities due to lymphoedema. The individual could not transport her walker in the trunk or back seat of the family car, even when folded. While there were some commercially available carrier frames none fit the walker frame or could be used independently by the individual. A custom adapted carrier, which would fit into the car’s existing towbar socket, and meet the NS
Walker Carrier
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with mobility disabilities to carry a walker on a wheelchair. Designed for a wheelchair with two horizontal push bars on the back, the carrier is comprised of two sets of hooks that fit over the bars. Using extruded aluminum bars, two shorter hooks and two longer hooks were created by placing the aliminum bar in a vice and bending it to a 90-degree angle and then hammering out two pairs of curved shapes. The longer pair of hooks fit over the top
Walker Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a child with cerebral palsy to use a reverse walker by pushing it in front of him. The walker was designed to be pulled behind the user. However, because of lack of arm strength and difficulty with balance and hip control, the child was unable to use it. Consequently, it was necessary to allow the wheels to travel in the opposite direction by changing the action of the walker by reversing the position of the clutch which acted as an anti-rollback mechanism.
Walker Modifications
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create walker modifications for an adult with paralysis on his right side, use of only the left arm and hand, and with balance disabilities. The user attends a local bridge club with an entrance that has a steep ramp with no handrail on the left side, and he had to rely on someone to walk next to him for stability and balance in addition to using his walker. The walker was helpful, but without the use of his right hand, when the frame brakes were
Walker Tray
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a reverse walker to transport such items as food on a plate or liquids. The individual needs to be able to keep both hands on the walker while transporting items. An 12x18 inch detachable wooden box-style tray is held horizontally by two uprights that hook over the top bar and rest on the lower bar of the walker. The tray has two divided compartments to hold juice and milk containers. The layout and size can be customized to suit indivua
Walking Frame
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with balance and muscle disabilities to replace her old walker with one built to the same specifications. The individual had used the same walker for 24 years and it had been damaged. Working with a therapist, a number of commercially-available alternatives were tried over several years, but a satisfactory replacement was not found. A custom-made walker was built using the specifications of the original unit. The walker has a welded steel frame
Walking Frame Brake Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to a four-wheel walker to enable back wheels to lock when navigating the walker up steps for an individual with cerebral palsy and visual and hearing impairments. Two spring-loaded semi-circular aluminum cams are used to jam the back wheels if they move backwards, but not stop the wheels from moving forward. The two cams are mounted on the frame just above the wheels and are attached to a cord which travels up to hook in the center o
Walking Frame Carrying Stick Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to a four-wheel walker enabling an individual with cerebral palsy and visual and hearing impairments to carry her walking stick and white cane while using her walker. Previous adaptations generally put the carry stick attachments on the outside of the frame; however, there was concern that this would reduce maneuverability of the walker within the individual’s small home. Attachments were added that allow the sticks to be carried wit
Walking Frame Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable an individual with balance disabiolities and only one hand to use a walker. A commercially-available wheeled walker with a seat was purchased and adapted. First, the existing wheels were replaced with larger ones to make it easier to traverse bumpy surfaces. Next, the walker was fitted with a stainless steel cross bar between the existing handles. To add the cross bar, the rubber handgrip on the left side was removed and an aluminum swivel block was fitted o
Walking Frame Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walking frame modification for and individual with congenital hip dislocation and has difficulty walking unaided. While this individual uses an electric scooter for going to the local shops and an electric wheelchair around her home, she requires a folding walker to take with her when going on outings in a car. The Admed seat walker with a basket and hand brakes was best suited for the individual’s needs but was too difficu
Walking Frame Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted walking frame for an older individual who has had a stroke and can be safely used with only one hand. The individual was experiencing several problems with her current walking frame—the existing gutter splints were not strong enough for her and had broken in addition to being too uncomfortable to start. Additionally, this individual needed a back rest for the seat and a method for braking safely with one hand. A unique solu
Walking Frame Modifications
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide custom adaptation to a walking frame for an individual with rheumatoid arthritis. The current walking frame provided to the individual by the hospital had several issues. The individual’s arms are quite short and slender, and the armrests were set too wide for her; therefore, her arms were not at the right angle and the sides of the armrests were cutting into her. The existing vinyl cover and foam padding on the armrests was removed, the armrests were repos
Walking Support City
Wallet Modification
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted wallet modification for individuals with a variety of physical disabilities including but not limited to: inability to use one hand; sight/depth perception disabilities; limited dexterity; spasms and tremors; or mobility disabilities. The concept was to create a wallet that can be easily manipulated with only one hand, has no small parts, is accessible to an individual sitting who is sitting down, and is designed to be secu
Washing Machine Aid
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with lupus causing limited hand strength to operate her washing machine. The cycle setting dial on the washing machine has a raised center and indentations onn either side, and the user was unable to grasp it to turn it to the desired setting. A simple turning aid was created using waterproofed wood. A block of wood was cut and two wooden prongs made from dowels were screwed and glued into the bottom of the block. All edges were ro
Washing Machine Knob Turner
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To enable an individual with upper extremity disabilities to set and turn on the washing machine. A piece of transparen Lexan was cut into a rectangle and the center was cut-out, creating a frame-style device. The device fits over the knob and is held in place with a hose clamp. This enables the user to turn the knob while still being able to read the printed settings around it. DIMENSIONS: The Lexan is 19 millimeters thick. TITLE: Opening Gambit. JOURNAL: TAD Journa
Water Scooter
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation for an individual with cerebral palsy to have physical support, improved mobility, and independence while swimming in a pool or lake. The water scooter is adapted from the Fluid Motorchair (See http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/Marine/MotorizedWaterT...). The electric motor and mount tube were taken from the chair and a golf ball was added to the steering post to make it easy to use one handed. The
Water Table Adaptations
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide access to a water play table for a child with cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and vision and hearing impairments while using a therapeutic incline box. The plastic table had a metal stand with casters, but as the child grew, it no longer provided the correct height and position. To resolve the problem, the legs were extended and adjustability was added to accommodate future growth. To increase stability, the casters were removed from one end. DI
Weighted Block Trolley
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a child with walking or balance disabilities with a block cart to push. Since commercially-available block carts did not provide the necessary stability, a custom cart was built. The unit has a large block-storage area, a height-adjustable wooden handle, two front casters, and large-diameter rear wheels. The handle adjusts using tri nuts. A concealed lower compartment holds two bricks to provide weight for stability. DIMENSIONS: The rear wheels are 132 mil
Weighted Block Trolley
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To provide a customized weighted block trolley for a child with Rett Syndrome and for children with standing and walking difficulties. The stable, counterweight trolley is made of timber and plywood, with a handlebar which can be adjusted using a tri-nut as the child grows. The device has rear wheels mounted at the side, and castors at the front which make it easy to steer. A counterweight is created by a paving brick installed under the front of the tray. The tray pro
Wheelchair Bag
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for a caregiver to carry items while pushing a wheelchair. A customized vinyl bag was made and held open and supported by a galvanized wire frame sewn into the top edge. A flap top and a return around the front and side edges protect the contents from the weather. Handles on each side of the center of the bag provide a means of carrying the bag away from the chair. Small straps made of the same material as the bag loop around the push handles of the
Wheelchair Bumper Bar
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To protect walls and furniture from being damaged by a wheelchair when the user has his/her legs straight out. With the user's legs straight out, the space taken up was large and made it difficult to avoid bumping into walls and furniture. To protect both the user's feet and surroundings, a frame that sits upright at the end of the chair was constructed of PVC tubing. The frame was covered in cellular foam and a strip of outdoor furniture fabric was laced around the f
Wheelchair Camera Mount
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with quadriplegia to take digital photographs. The user required a mount that would hold the camera very steady, but still allow her to use a tripod and to have the mount moved from a powered wheelchair to a manual wheelchair as required. A holder was designed with a stainless steel vertical arm mounted on the right front caster of each chair. For additional stability, the manual chair had an additional bracing clamped to the frame at wheel and
Wheelchair Camera Mount
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom wheelchair camera mount for a photographer with hemiplegia related to stroke and limited use of his right arm. This individual cannot simultaneously hold his camera firmly and press the shutter, particularly as he uses large lenses which are quite heavy, and using a tripod to hold the camera doesn’t work either, as it’s difficult to set this up with one hand. Therefore, a custom adaptation solution of creating a wheelchair camera m
Wheelchair Canopy
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To provide a custom adapted wheelchair canopy to be used by an individual with light sensitivity and mobility disabilities on her wheelchair and also be portable to fit on public vans, buses, and/or taxis. The canopy is designed to work on almost any wheelchair/cart and be capable of travel. Windows could be added for those more interested in rain and snow protection. The frame is made from steel and aluminum tubing. Scaled drawings are available upo
Wheelchair Caster Glides
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To protect walls and doors from damage from powered wheelchair casters. By mounting a disc of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMW) on the caster spindle where it meets the top of the fork, impacts are deflected. The UHMW disc prevents gouging and does not mar the woodwork. For additional protection from axle gouging, a deflector can be mounted on the axle ends. TITLE: Wheelchair Caster Glides. WEB SITE: Workshop Solutions at http://www.workshopsolutio
Wheelchair Commode Adaptations
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To make a caster commode chair more usable for an individual with quadriplegia. The commode pan was set so high under the seat that the user came in contact with the pan. In addition, because of the pan's position, it tended to tip while being removed for emptying. A second set of aluminum chanels was installed below the original ones, and the wire frame supporting the pan, which was elongated to prevent spilling, slides into the new chanels. TITLE: Double Satisfacti
Wheelchair Control Cover
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To protect powered wheelchair controls from rain. A sleve was fashioned from clear plastic that slides over the wheelchair joystick controller, protecting the buttons an gauges and most of the joystick. A fole in the sleeve provides access to the joystic to enable the chair to be operated. TITLE: Bathroom Assistance. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Number 2, July 2006: p. 12-13. PAGES: 3 (including cover).
Wheelchair Footplate Adaptation
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To assist an individual with mobility disabilities in transferring from a wheelchair. The wheelchair had a one-piece footplate that folded up during transfers and down to provide foot support. However, the user was unable to change the position of the plate as needed. The existing footplate was removed and replaced with hinged dual footplates. The new footplates were made from sheet aluminum cut to shape, with large overlaps joined with epoxy resin and pop-rivited for
Wheelchair For Beach
CUSTOM ADAPTATION
PURPOSE: To enable an individual with a mobility disability to visit the beach. A simple frame was welded of 19 millimeter stainless steel tubing with a 1.6 millimeter wall thickness. A bar at the front acts as a footrest. The chair is also equipped with a lever brake. The seat and back are made of Breezeway open webbing and are laced to the frame. Extended handles provide additional leverage for the person pushing the chair, compensating for the four fixed wheels of the type u
Wheelchair Pedal Exerciser
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a means for an individual with low-level paraplegia to exercise his/her legs. The individual had a set of exercise pedals but needed a means of attaching them to a wheelchair. The pedals needed to be 325 millimeters above the floor and 370 millimeters forward from the top of the wheelchair footplate sockets. A steel tube frame was welded with swan hooks that fit into the wheelchair footplate sockets and a crossbar on which the pedals were mounted. A forward
Wheelchair Push Handle Extensions
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a tall parent to push a child's wheelchair. The existing push handles were sawed off a wheelchair and new ferrules were fixed inside the exposed tubes with Loc-tite. Two new longer L-shaped handles were made of metal and one end of each was afixed in the new ferrules. The handles were finished by painting them red to match the rest of the chair and attaching bicycle-style rubber handgrips. TITLE: Bicycle and Beyond. JOURNAL: TAD Journal. REF: Volume 26, Num
Wheelchair Push Handle Extensions For Tall Person
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a tall caregiver to safely push a wheelchair. Designed to work with a variety of wheelchairs and to be removable for use on multiple chairs, a set of tubular steel extension arms with handgrips at the top was fashioned. The extensions are adjustable and hook to the chair frame at the bottom. The height of the handles can be adjusted using wing nuts on the verical uprights and the width between the handlebars is adjustable using a wing nut on the horizontal b
Wheelchair Shopping Box
DO IT YOURSELF ENTRY --- PURPOSE: To enable an individual who uses a powered wheelchair to shop independently. A sheet steel box with its base above the client's knees was created. The box is high enough to accommodate a box of powdered detergent. The front of the box is lozenge shaped to match the plan view of wheelchair foot supports, and the lid is hinged at the back The high rim around the lid is 1/16 inch thick plastic, and there are gaps between it and the lid so that rain will not collect
Wheelchair Tilt Modification
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To provide a customized adaptation to an existing wheelchair to allow a young adult with a rare genetic disorder and his caregivers to tilt the chair backwards with minimal effort (i.e. for mounting curbs or pushing onto a vehicle hoist platform). The wheels were moved forward so that more of the weight of the chair is behind the wheels. Then the rear handlebars were redesigned so that they were easier to push down on. The original handlebars had a cross bar making it
Wheelchair To Stroller Linking Device
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized linking device between wheelchair and stroller for an individual with spinal cord injury. While the individual could push the stroller and use her wheelchair in tandem for short distances, this configuration was not idea for various surfaces and/or travel over long distances. The individual obtained a stroller that has swiveling wheels at the front and fixed wheels at the back. An adaptation using the stroller was created takin
Wheelchair Tray
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a custom adapted tray to fit on a wheelchair used by an individual with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability. This individual spends most of her day in her wheelchair and needs something to occupy her and a surface to rest it on; in other words, a portable table which she can use for her walkman, DVD player or to hold a magazine, etc. The tray is made from 9 millimeter plywood with a lip added around the front and side edges to stop o
Wheelchair Tray For Sewing Machine
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To enable a wheelchair user to operate a sewing machine from her wheelchair. The tray was made of plywood with a lip on the front three sides to prevent thread and other items from rolling off. The tray fits into the mount of the existing wheelchair tray, but also rests on the wheelchair arms which bear most of the weight of the machine. The attachment of the existing mount stops the tray from tipping forward with the weight of the machine. The tray was designed to f
Wheeled Chair Base
CUSTOM ADAPTATION PURPOSE: To adapt a positioning chair for an individual with cerebral palsy to provide mobility. A base plate made of 12 millimeter (mm) plywood with a rounded cutout to accommodate the user's legs for foot propulsion was created. The original chair legs were shortened and the angles were fastened with horizontal bolts screwed to the base. Braked casters with polyurethane tires were attached to the underside of the base. In a final step, armressts similar to those found on off
Wider Walker
CUSTOM ADAPTATIONPURPOSE: To widen a walker for a child who was growing out of the walker in width only. The manufacturer of this type of walker did not make a wider model. The adaptation was designed to make it wider, yet retain its strength. With the help of a machinist, three roundbars were turned to fit
the ID of the tubes and also the OD. To prevent clothing from getting caught on the extensions or bolts, a curved head bolt and an acorn nut were used and the OD and ID were sized for smoothn
Wrist Stretcher
---- CUSTOMIZED ADAPTATION --------- PURPOSE: To create a customized adapted wrist stretcher for an individual with multiple sclerosis. The individual’s multiple sclerosis has progressed to a point where she cannot use her right arm and has limited dexterity in her left. It is important that she retain as much flexibility as possible so she can pick up objects and operate her electric wheelchair. To help the individual maintain her flexibility her physiotherapist has recommended that she stretch