Engineering a Dream

Really fun news to report today.

A few weeks back, members of the SmartHome team met with Melinda Piket-May, a professor at CU’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Following the discussion, Professor Piket-May broke up her class into several teams, and assigned each team a project intended to create some simple tools that would allow some of Imagine!’s consumers, including SmartHome residents, to be more independent and able to complete everyday activities on their own.

Want some examples? Well, one team has agreed to create a wheelchair laundry carrier and wash machine loader for Anthony, one of the residents of the Charles Family SmartHome in Longmont. The carrier and loader will allow Anthony to transport his own laundry and place it in a front loading washing machine.

Another team is working on creating a wheelchair broom attachment that will allow Anthony to help with cleaning chores around the house.

These projects will help in providing individuals with limited mobility such as Anthony the opportunity to take control of their own lives and activities. Most of us take those opportunities for granted, but if you have never had the ability to do your own laundry in your life, the chance to do that work on your own for the first time can have a profound impact on your self-esteem as well as your ability to live independently.

The class isn’t just doing projects for Anthony and SmartHome residents, though. Other activities include creating a wheelchair tray that can be folded and stowed and would have a contoured edge with magnetic plates bowls and cups, and developing a five switch programmable infra-red remote control that will give simple access to environmental functions for individuals with limited mobility.

We would like to offer our sincere thanks to Professor Piket-May and her students! Your commitment to your community is impressive!