Christopher’s mom was delighted to hear her son say “Again, again!” when she took him for his first bike ride in his new car seat, outfitted by first year engineering students who were challenged with creating this assistive device.
Keith Schaal, Tyler Medley, Tanner Askren, Amanda Wade, and Jake Dedeker attached a donated car seat to the front of a donated bicycle and created a safe way for the 5-year-old to ride tandem with his mom.
“Now Christopher has a way to explore the environment like anyone else. He is very visual—in his new bike seat, he gets to see where he is going,” his mother shared.
Schaal explained there are brakes on all the wheels and the car seat reclines a little bit. It is free of sharp edges, a secure fit for Christopher, and his mom is able to transport and store everything with ease. Medley was responsible for welding the pieces of the project.
“We wanted Christopher to have more adventure. Cerebral palsy limits the use of his legs, but a bicycle ride gives him a change of scenery. Bike seats and trailers that are on the market are not really appropriate for Christopher’s needs,” Schaal explained.
Dr. Cecelia Wigal’s students were able to come $50 under budget with this project with a total expenditure of $350.
Team member Amanda Wade said the students in her group found the experience to be rewarding. “We enjoyed testing our skills and providing service for members of our community.”
This is such an awesome project! Kudos to all who brought this dream into reality.
Love this! I would love something like this fore me and my daughter to ride around on campus. Awesome job, guys!