Development of easy-to-make adaptive sports and recreation technology.

Abstract

One of the most important factors affecting quality of life is recreation, due to its positive role in social and physical health. Adaptive recreation can be difficult to access, largely because market availability for adaptive equipment, outside of assistive devices for daily living tasks, is extremely limited. The purpose of this project is to develop an open-source repository of affordable Sport and Recreation Activity Assistive Technology in response to idea submissions from the disability community. Prototypes are developed using predominantly 3D printing coupled with commonly available assembly materials, a fabrication approach that allows for rapid and reasonably affordable development of custom solutions. Each prototype follows a defined project methodology: need identification, design (prototyping and evaluation), fabrication testing, and dissemination. To date, several devices have been designed and made available with full documentation, including swim paddles, an attachment for a miniature golf club, billiards stick handles, a game piece mover, a cornhole bag adaptation, an arm prosthetic vehicle shifter adaptor, and a curling stone push stick attachment. All device designs, part files, bills of materials, and assembly instructions are accessible through a publicly available repository so that end users or their support networks can download and fabricate the devices themselves.