Adaptive Recumbent Tricycle
Problem statement
Imagine you’re racing for gold, and yet, you don’t have full control of how you compete. You’re the one pedaling, but your strategy and split-second decisions are decided by someone else. Our client, Jake Anderson, is an athlete through and through, but after his accident took away a large amount of his mobility, he began racing via a tandem bicycle. With this format, Jake was able to compete again, but it also raised a major challenge. Not only could Jake not steer, shift, or brake, but the combined weight of him, the captain, and the bike came close to 500 lbs, making hills an excruciating battle. As such, after racing with a captain for years, Jake ultimately decided he wanted to configure his tricycle to allow him to ride by himself so he might command the race on his own under a significantly reduced weight. As such, our goal is to give full control of the tricycle back to Jake, a gift many people take for granted. While the opportunity to ride a tandem is available, it is only our design which gives that thrill of an independent ride. The primary design foci will be the implementation of autonomous shifting, either via voice recognition or pressure sensors, braking via coaster braking, and steering via torsional springs. All in all, we hope our solution provides a smooth, safe, and enjoyable ride for Jake so he can compete for years to come.
Team members
Wesley Miller – leader
Benjamin Kottak – communicator
Tarun Narayan – accountant
Michael Sohn – admin
Client
Jake Anderson
Community Member