Remote Assistive Elevator Control Device

The Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) Department at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Applied Science requires a “Design, Build & Test” Capstone design project for students working toward the baccalaureate degree. Most of these are completed by individual students. Local non-profit organizations that offer community service provide some of the projects. By working with these organizations, the MET Department has identified problems students can solve. Improving the quality of life for the elderly and people wit physical disabilities is the current focus for these projects. A local rehabilitation center, Beechwood Home, approached the MET department to find a solution to the following problem. Many disabled people who have the mobility in their arms and hands to operate powered wheelchairs do not have sufficient strength or the ability to extend their arms to operate the buttons of standard elevator control panels. This is due to their physical limitations and the common placement of control panels in elevator cars. The size and mobility of the powered wheelchairs prevents these users from being able to maneuver close enough to the control panels to reach the buttons. These patients cannot use the elevators in their building without the assistance of a health care provider. This paper describes a project by James Henize that helped solve this problem from concept to the final working prototype. The practical solution was a remote assistive device, mounted on the wheelchair, to be used by patients with little effort and without help of a health care provider.