Technology Tuesday

Welcome to “Technology Tuesday.” Imagine!’s SmartHomes team has moved fully into the second phase of our project, where we are using the SmartHomes technology in unique ways, taking it into other settings, and sharing it with clients beyond just those living in the homes. We want to share those stories with you. We hope these stories will be short and easy to read insights into how technology is changing the lives of everyone served by Imagine!, not just those living in the SmartHomes.

Imagine! is partnering with the University of Wyoming to create assistive technology for individuals served by Imagine!. Here’s one project in the works: Assistive Technology Robot Arm and Wrist Support. The overall goal of this project is to engineer and design a system that is integrated into an existing powered wheelchair frame such that a client would have adjustable wrist support with their control hand, as well as one-touch control of a motorized robot arm capable of moving the client’s communication device in and out of their line of sight. The robot arm will have the capability of holding a communication device with a maximum weight of 20 pounds, and retracting to a position that does not interfere with the client’s ability to operate the wheelchair. The team’s expectation fo the wrist support device are such that the support will be able to assist and stabilize the client’s arm, in order to aid in the operation of a touch screen device as well as the wheelchair joystick controls. The support device will be adjustable and ergonomic to accommodate various sizes and weights of the client’s arms.