Oar Holder For Wheelchair using Athlete Final Report
The ability to transport oars is essential for engaging in the sport of rowing. Currently, the CRI para-rowers who are using wheelchairs depend on the assistance of others to transport their oars. We seek to design a product that will allow para-rowers to be independent, allowing them to carry oars on their wheelchairs. After several prototypes, we arrived at a design that uses two pvc oar holders and a chest strap. The oar holders will prevent the oars from hit one another, and the lower oar holder is held between the legs. Our client doesn’t need the assistance of a leg strap therefore we have excluded it from our final design. The chest band will secure the oars on the shoulder for upper body movement, while being easily detachable thanks to its velcro strap. This design will eliminate the middleman in transporting oars for wheelchair using para-rowers.
Creating an oar holder that is compatible with a wheelchair brought forth questions of mobility, balance, and security. The main function of an oar holder is to its transportation. However movement is performed by the wheelchair user, via pushing the wheel. Therefore the holder couldn’t inhibit the upper body, while securing itself to the user or their device. The wheelchair itself posed another challenge of keeping equilibrium at the center of the chair, conditioning the oar’s weight to be distributed across the chair.
Process:
Week 1: Sketch model
- For the sketch model, we met and brainstormed many different designs
- We settled by knowing that we needed to design something that would keep both oars together
- We had trouble coming up with the orientation of the oar (In front, behind, or on the side of the person
- So for the first week, we made an oar holder for the lower body out of cardboard and zipties
Week 2: Take peers feedback and ‘perfecting’ the lower body connection
- We hot glued two pvc halves onto a fabric for the ankle
- Hot glue wasn’t sturdy enough so we decided to rivet the pvc onto a thin piece of plastic
- We later realized the fabric could rip easily so we sandwiched it between a thin piece of plastic and the pvc
Week 3: We made the upper body strap and changed fabrics- more strength but still stretchy.
Week 4: Trip to CRI
- We unfortunately couldn’t test the prototype on a wheelchair user, so the feedback we through non-wheelchair user’s point of view.
- We found out one of the ladies has the oars in between her legs and resting on one side of her shoulder, but she cannot go uphill or downhill.
- A suggestion was to keep the prototype idea but instead of strapping it in, make a cup for the oar to hold it from the bottom.
Week 5: Trip to Fabric basement and designing a ‘soft’ prototype
- We made the arm band with better mapping
- We visited the fabric store at Natick.
- Thanks to the help of the employees at the store we found a light, plastic like, but immensely durable fabric.
- After we got the fabric, we decided to try the design a prototype that was “soft”. So no materials like PVC or Wood, instead we tried a bag to hold the bottom part of the oars. It was attached to a strap that was wrapped tightly around the legs.
- This design did not work because the oar’s weight eventually dragged the bag down to the floor.
Week 6: Approaching and getting the final design
- The last design was inspired by the oar carrier for people that use crutches.
- We just made a miniature one that goes between the legs to hold the lower portion of the legs.
- It was attached to the body through a hook.
- This was a success and we fine tuned the strapping by making 2 of them (one for below the knees and one for above the knees)
- We got our final prototype:
Last CRI Trip:
- Entertain the idea of having one more oar holder on the top and bottom
- A different upper body part that is easily detachable
- Bottom holder was liked
- Wants control over the oars
- Especially on the ramp(rain and ice)
Our wheelchair using athlete welcomed our final product with both complements and suggestions. She loved the idea of having the oars attached together, as it made it feel secure and easier to more. She even entertained the idea of having one more oar holder on the top like the bottom. Her greatest insight was its performance on the ramp, particularly when it has rained, snowed, or is covered with ice. As the oars are attached to the person with the upper body strap, if she feels like she will fall she has little mobility and security of the oars to take action. She stated that she wants control over them and to feel secure, therefore though our product functions it doesn’t make her feel in control of the oars. Therefore we have changed our upper body strap to be a simple one buckle attachment.
Another idea for the project was to have a sit on attachment. The device would be sat on, securing it, and its extrusion would be attached to the lower portion of the oars. This would have to be explored by the next team of engineers.
We have been able to create two designs that allows para-rowers who use wheelchairs move their oars independcantly. It has proven to function in bringing independence when transporting one’s oars. A shortcoming, factor, that we hadn’t considered is its performance on the ramp– especially with rain and ice. This can be addressed by making the oars easily detachable from the user, and their mobility to be prioritised.