Projects Archive

A veteran suffered grave injuries due to an IED explosion during his service: a third-degree separation of his left shoulder, fractures in both the ulna and radius of his right wrist, and a compound fracture of his left ankle. During his 10-day hospital stay, he discovered that one of the arteries supplying blood to his foot was irreparably damaged, leaving only one functioning artery for both his ankle and foot. His ankle plate was decimated, requiring the placement of six screws to ensure stability. Despite intense physical and occupational therapy, he faces a future with a pronounced limp and constant need for a cane.

Dr. Jensen Shirley is a disabled U.S. Army veteran, who utilizes body-powered prosthetic devices for daily tasks with terminal metal hooks. As a result, Dr. Shirley struggles to use touchscreen devices, often improvising with a t-shirt to allow for any sort of input recognition....

Our Challenger is an Army veteran who is blind stemming from multiple brain injuries in the army. He’s active and enjoys swimming but currently does not have a good system for swimming laps in the pool. Although there are many options for blind swimmers, such as a “tapper” (someone who taps them when they get out of their lane), relying on lane boundaries, or verbal cues from others, not many options are available for those who want to swim independently without the use of verbal or tactile cues. 

Adaptive Freedom Foundation is dedicated to offering open water experiences to all people with disabilities (from wounded veterans to children born with disabilities) who are typically excluded due to their mobility issues. Adaptive Freedom Foundation’s main goal is to promote accessibility and inclusion through the adaption of ocean activities, specifically paddle boarding. Adaptive Freedom Foundation utilizes a unique watercraft called the WASUP (Wheelchair Accessible Stand Up Paddleboard). The WASUP gives wheelchair-bound and immobile athletes the freedom to safely take to the water, gaining a feeling of accomplishment, fortitude, teamwork, and determination. The goal of this Challenge is to design and fabricate a new WASUP that will be used by people with disabilities to help them remain active and healthy as well as to help promote inclusion and empowerment. The three (3) WASUPs that are currently being utilized have been around for over 5 years but is somewhat limited due to the design, age, and durability. The goal is to create a new design to alleviate some of the current issues. Ideally, the new WASUP would: be extra buoyant and stable; easy to paddle and maneuver; be made from durable material; and most importantly transportable.

The Challenger was on active duty in the US Army from September 1983 to June 1991, serving in the Fort Campbell 101st air-assault and the Alaskan E troop 1st Air Cavalry as a power plant repairman. After getting out of service in 1991, he was severely injured in an explosion while working as a civilian contractor defueling a five-thousand-gallon gas tanker. He sustained multiple injuries including: blinded in left eye, broken L4-L5 vertebrae, broke both legs, broken ribs, and the major broken T4 vertebrae. This has left the Challenger paraplegic and unable to walk. Despite this major accident, he has still remained physically active, especially when it comes to being out in the ocean and surfing. He has experimented with several different ways to surf, finding that using a waveski is the easiest for him. The Challenge for him comes when launching his waveski into the water. The waveski itself weighs a considerable amount and along with disability, makes it difficult to get into the water. Our team has been challenged with the task of designing and building a device that allows the Challenger, or any other individual with paraplegia, to independently enter the ocean on their waveski.

The Challenger is a retired Army veteran injured in a horseback riding accident that resulted in the loss of function of her legs. She enjoys spending time outside and when using vehicles, such as a tractor, requires transferring with a high-level seat. The transfers require a lot of effort or strength from the Challenger. Her strength may vary from day to day based on how many times she needs to transfer, as well as difficult weather conditions. The Challenge is to develop a mobility transfer system that lifts wheelchair users into vehicles that sit higher off the ground, like a tractor. The transfer device needs to be portable enough that it can be used at both departure and arrival and can be used independently to move to and from the tractor or other vehicles. 

The USA Para Bobsled Skeleton Federation has a VA military development program for injured US Veterans for the development of national team and world class para bobsled pilots (drivers). If amputees have a running leg, they use a spike to help them dig into the ice when they push the bobsled. However, the angle currently does not align correctly, causing the spike to improperly grip the ice, and the athletes to slip and slide as they push the bobsled. The Challenge is to create a push foot that has the appropriate angle to push the sled and will allow the athlete to grip the ice and not slip when they’re pushing the sled. 

The Challengers are veterans with leg amputations; those who lose their leg are often fit with a prosthetic limb to provide mobility and function. This injury results in a loss of skin surface area, which decreases the body's ability to cool itself, especially when the amputation is above the knee(s). Many individuals remain highly active: continuing to run, hike, and participate in team sports. This high level of activity in combination with the nature of the injury leads to heat and sweat management issues. Sweat can lead to pistoning of the prosthesis, which causes issues with fit and could possibly lead to the prosthesis falling off. Raised skin temperature can also have adverse effects on skin health under and around the prosthesis. The Challenge is to develop a more efficient prosthetic socket cooling system to reduce the skin temperature and sweat in and around the prosthesis.

The USA Para Bobsled Skeleton Federation has a VA military development program for injured US Veterans for the development of national team and world class para bobsled pilots (drivers). Athletes with spinal cord injuries stay in their bobsled to avoid getting in and out of the bobsled multiple times between runs. Currently, volunteers must lift the athlete and the bobsled (a combined weight of around 650 pounds) into a truck to move to the next location following a bobsled run. The Challenge is to build a portable track the bobsleds can be pulled on to get the sled and athlete from the runs to the truck and back again. ‍

A 10-year US Army Veteran home from deployment, the Challenger’s legs were paralyzed in a horseback riding accident in 2005. She is a very talented and handy person who loves to work on projects in and outside her home, including gardening, carpentry, and working on cars. She currently has to “hang” over her wheelchair to do any work close to the ground, which can cause back, neck, and shoulder pain or injuries. Her other option is to transfer out of her wheelchair to the ground, but then she is stationary and has to drag her body across the ground to move, which has caused skin breakdown and splinters. The Challenge is to design and build a functional adapted creeper so she can safely work at ground level on various projects inside and outside her home.

 This Challenge builds on a previously developed app for veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI), in partnership with Craig Hospital in Colorado, a rehabilitation center for veterans with spinal cord injuries and TBI. This Challenge aims to create a mobile application and/or tool that can integrate with smart TVs and help facilitate telehealth appointments. The app is needed to expand the range of services available to veterans and help ensure they schedule and attend their needed medical appointments. The app should also be able to be used with remote stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and smart TV(s) (such as Roku). ‍

This Challenger is a former Army EOD Tech who was injured by an IED, sustaining a left above the elbow amputation, a right below the elbow amputation and a left hip disarticulation amputation. He has since had osseointegration surgery on his left arm. His passion is woodworking; among his tools is a Powermatic 14" bandsaw. The tool currently requires him to stand on one leg to use because its mechanisms work when the table is a mid-chest level. The Challenge is to lower the worktop of the saw to tabletop height so he can work from his wheelchair or chair.

As part of Pineland Farms, the Veterans Adaptive Sports & Training (VAST) Program offers disabled veterans a variety of sports and physical activities, including cross country skiing. Paralympics provides sit skis to the veterans; however, most of VAST’s participants lack the same upper body strength that a Paralympian cross country skier, thus requiring them to lean further forward in the sit ski to achieve momentum. The Challenge is to create a cross country ski seat/kneeler for amputees and those with spinal cord injuries that allows them to lean further forward than a traditional sit ski. The equipment needs to include a seat that allows the participant to kneel and/or place their legs further underneath them than a traditional sit ski allows.

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This project is to design and create a functional prototype that will allow someone that is wheelchair bound to raise and lower their bicycle from the back of a vehicle fitted with a trailer hitch receiver. The lift will be controlled by an electric motor or device capable of lifting or lowering the bike with the use of a button or controller. This will allow those that are unable to physically lift their recumbent bike into a vehicle safely. It is not a requirement that the bicycles be loaded into a vehicle but that they are raised high enough off the ground to safely travel. This device will allow the user more independence and freedom from having to rely on assistance with their bike. ‍

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Our Challenger is a very active Army veteran with an above-the-knee amputation. Along with being an avid handcyclist, she enjoys spending her time at the beach and swimming. The challenge is to create a prosthetic leg cover that is waterproof and sand-proof.

Our Challenger is U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Valyou. He was an Explosive Ordinance Disposal technician. He was paralyzed by a sniper's bullet in Iraq in 2007. He is very independent and enjoys a large variety of activities and sports such as bobsledding with the USA Para Bobsled organization. He would like a way to prevent pressure sores when he transfers from his wheelchair to hard surfaces. The challenge is to design and make adapted pants to protect his skin/soft tissue and prevent pressure sores.‍

SSG Will Castillo, an Army veteran, was raised in Queens, NY, where he was heavily impacted by the attacks of 911 and decided to join the U.S. Army. He did two tours in Iraq, where his truck was hit by an IED, leaving him the sole survivor in his vehicle. He ended up losing his left leg above the knee. Since that time, he has dedicated his blessing to help other wounded warriors. SSG Castillo is training to represent the U.S. in the next Paralympic Games and is currently ranked #1 for Bobsledding.

Engineers and therapists at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are asking for the development of hardware/software interface(s) to support real-time, game-based feedback during sitting tasks on an unstable (wobble) chair. They would also like an easy way to automatically calibrate and adjust the settings for the device. This will help many patients in their recovery during rehabilitation to improve their trunk postural control for a variety of medical condition.

Our Challenger is a veteran who sustained an above-the-knee amputation. She has been using forearm crutches for her mobility. Recently she used them while traveling and had to stop several times because of pain in her hands/wrists. The challenge is to design and adapt an her forearm crutches to prevent damage to wrists and hands.‍

The River Deep Alliance has started offering scuba diving lessons through Denver Adaptive Divers. The underwater blood pressure monitor will hopefully provide evidence of the potential benefits of diving to veterans in relation to PTSD vs the use of hyperbaric chambers and help provide an early warning for a diver in distress. While there are other commercial devices that monitor vitals underwater, there are none specifically for blood pressure, and none with capacity beyond 300 meters.‍This project was also worked on by the students at Colorado School of Mines in 2021-22 academic year.‍

Our Challenger is a retired Army Major. In 2003, while serving, a rocket propelled grenade (RPG) injured his right leg. Due to the shrapnel and dirt he suffered multiple infections and endured 24 surgeries. In 2015, he elected to undergo a right leg above the knee amputation in order to reduce infection and improve function. He had osseointegration surgery Stage 1 in Feb 2019.

The Challenger would like to have a motorized or robotic gutter cleaner. The first problem to address is getting the cleaner up to the gutters while remaining on the ground and not having to climb a ladder. A pole, a track, and/or a pulley system were some suggestions. The second problem to address is having the cleaner move through the gutters without requiring him to walk along with it. Something that is motorized with a remote control was a suggestion.

Pineland Farms is a 5,000-acre working farm in New Gloucester, Maine that offers educational and recreational activities for visitors. As part of Pineland Farms, the Veterans Adaptive Sports & Training (VAST) Program offers disabled veterans a variety of sports and physical activities, including hiking using the Afari Walker. The Afari Walker is a walker for people with limited mobility that uses a three-wheel design to allow the person to stay upright and at eye level, as opposed to more traditional walkers. Unfortunately, there is not currently a seat on the Afari; veterans in the VAST program may use the Afari for multiple miles for hiking but will not have a place to rest while staying upright. The Challenge is to create a fold down or swing away seat that allows Afari users to rest but does not interfere with the Afari when it is in motion.‍

Firefighters are exposed to various types of particulates and possible carcinogens while fighting fires. When the work is done and they travel back to the fire station, they may be carrying these particulates and possible carcinogens on their uniforms, masks, and other equipment. The Ohio State Fire Academy has challenged the students to design a mobile remediation device to clean uniforms and equipment to remove particulates and other contaminants.

Our Challenger is now a competitive cyclist that uses a handcycle. Due to his injuries, however, he uses a kneeling position to compete, as opposed to sitting on a traditional handcycle. The Challenger is looking for a stationary adapted handcycle that allows him to train indoors during inclement weather.‍

Our Challenger is a retired Army EOD Tech and was injured by an IED in 2012, sustaining a left above the elbow amputation, a right below the elbow amputation and a left hip disarticulation amputation. His right prosthetic is a myoelectric and his left is body powered. He had osseointegration surgery on his left arm 3-4 years ago. His main hobby is woodworking and has a beautiful shop. He currently has to use multiple off the shelf end adaptors (terminal devices) on his left prosthetic arm. Each tool requires its own end adaptor, and he still has to use both arms.

The Challenger is a retired Army EOD Tech and was injured by an IED in 2012, sustaining a left above the elbow amputation, a right below the elbow amputation and a left hip disarticulation amputation. His right prosthetic is a myoelectric and his left is body powered. He had osseointegration surgery on his left arm 3-4 years ago. His main hobby is woodworking and has a beautiful shop. He currently has to use multiple off the shelf end adaptors (terminal devices) on his left prosthetic arm. Each tool requires its own end adaptor, and he still has to use both arms.

The Challenger is an active-duty sailor who has been in the Navy for approximately 4 years now. He sustained an injury to his right leg when he was run over by a helicopter during his first tour, and recently had it amputated below the knee. He enjoys a variety of sports and is interested in having a multi-sport prosthetic foot that allows him to play baseball, body build, and cycle without having to change out his foot. ‍

A combat wounded Marine who has bilateral above the knee amputations is very active and wants to be able to hike with his prosthetics. Currently, he has a great deal of difficulty going over uneven terrain with his regular prosthetics because of balance issues and falls. The algorithm in the knee does not react quick enough to adjust. When he uses his “shorties” (no knees), it is more stable, but he must swing his legs around to go uphill or downhill and it is not comfortable or efficient. He requested hiking prosthetics that allow him to walk over uneven terrain safely and efficiently.

The senior capstone project Team “Mo Pills? No Problem.” was tasked with designing and fabricating a battery-powered pill dispenser that does not rely on an internet or Bluetooth connection of any sort. This project will be a phase 2 senior design project to continue to improve and refine the project design. This design is reliable and intuitive, lending itself to users with limited experience with technology, as well as users with upper extremity limitations or fine motor skill impairments that may make sorting pills difficult.‍

River Deep Alliance, of which QL+ is a member, leads and partners with various Denver area organizations that provide outdoor adaptive sports activities that include fishing for veterans and non-veterans who have a wide range of disabilities. This project will aid in the casting, catching, and reeling in of fish for individuals that have little to no dexterity in their hands or upper limbs. This project will also be able to work with wheelchair bound individuals with limited mobility, those with paraplegic disabilities, as well as those that are quadriplegics.

The River Deep Alliance provides outreach programs and outdoor opportunities to wounded veterans and first responders. This project allows anyone that uses a sip-and-puff shooting device to remain stable while sitting in any UTV platform. ‍

This Challenger, who previously served as a lance corporal in the US Marine Corps, has a below the knee amputation on her right leg. While she has had the opportunity to participate in adaptive snowboarding and surfing, she would like to participate in inline skating. Her goal is to have a rollerblade prosthetic foot attachment, which builds on a previous QL+ project that developed ice skating prosthetics.‍

The Challenger is an Army veteran that is visually impaired. Currently, he is able to golf with a coach that is able to line up his shots and act as the Challenger’s “eyes” when taking his swings. The Challenge is to build a putter that can stand in an upright position on its own, keeping in mind that it needs to also be a comfortable weight for grip, swing, and contact with the ball. This project will allow the coach to line up the shot for him to take his swing. ‍

The Challenger is a hearing-impaired Army Veteran that participates in national and international fencing tournaments. He faces challenges regarding the way fencing is scored: when one of the participants touches the other with a fencing sword, sometimes the movements are so fast that it is not felt by the opponent. The goal for this project is to design and build a scoring system that does not rely solely on audible tones, and instead will notify the user of a point scored in a tactile or visual way.‍

The Challenger is a United States Army veteran who served from 1997-2008. He was injured on his 2nd Iraq deployment resulting in the loss of both his legs. He is a cross-fit and outdoor enthusiast. His goals are to climb various mountains while documenting his journey. While training for his mountain climbing, he experiences cuts, bruises, scrapes and other injuries to his lower extremities. This causes extreme discomfort, pain, and possible infections. The Challenger has also used a variety of “tough” gloves designed for the military and other extreme applications. He has not found any commercial gloves strong enough to endure the amount of friction and contact with the ground necessary for his climbing. He has developed an idea for a pair of gloves to accompany his abrasion resistant trousers.

A few students are working with a local school, WISH Charter, to develop a device with a flexible arm that can hold an iPad on one end, and on the other, can clamp onto various surfaces such as a wheelchair rod, desk, or chair. The product is being created for students who require the use of an iPad to communicate with others, and it provides them an additional degree of flexibility when going through their typical school day.

An Army Veteran was working on Border Patrol when he sustained an incomplete right arm brachial plexus injury. This has resulted in an unstable shoulder joint and limited use of his arm. He is an avid athlete and completes in events such as Para Track and Field. The goal of this challenge to create a lightweight brace that can automatically be placed into a 90-degree elbow position with something such as a “push of a button” and will also be able to hold his shoulder up into his socket.

Four of our mechanical engineering seniors are working to develop a collapsible prosthetic shower leg for Phil Tamoush, our Challenger who has a transtibial amputation. Phil often travels for work and needs a shower leg that can collapse to a size that can easily fit in his travel bag. The successful completion of this project will provide Phil additional safety, comfort and stability as he bathes while on his short trips.

A retired Army Scout lost both of his lower legs from an explosion. He would like to have the capability to go from walking to jogging, such as when he is walking with his daughter and she starts running. The Challenger is requesting to have both a short distance running capability and walking capability on the same prosthetic without having to change out his legs.‍This project was initially started at San Diego State University before moving to George Mason University.‍‍

The Challenger is an Army veteran who is blind stemming from multiple brain injuries in the Army. He has five children, two of whom are still in strollers (age 4 and 5). He is able to pull the stroller and use his cane, but that requires him to pull the stroller backwards. He would like to have a way to pull a stroller so that he can use his cane in front of him and pull the stroller behind him while keeping the stroller facing forward. ‍

What I’m proposing is a device that would eliminate the strain upon the individual in holding and maneuvering a large game animal while trying to field dress it. What I have done in the past is use an inexpensive device that attaches to the trailer hitch on a vehicle. This device usually has a winch like device that hooks on to the game and is able to elevate it off the ground for safe processing away from the dirt and ground conditions. This is a feasible solution for someone with two legs that can stand upright. This is extremely difficult for someone lower to the ground.

An Army veteran who lost both arms to an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2012 had bilateral hand transplant surgery. He does not have use of his forearms, wrists, and hands until the nerves finish growing distally. Therefore, he is unable to grip, flex, or extend his wrists. He likes to golf and has tried with a variety of adaptations, but there is still too much “wobble”/motion. The goal of this Challenge is to create a golfing device that will allow him to enjoy the sport.

A retired Army Veteran was injured by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG). Due tothe shrapnel and dirt that entered his wound, he suffered multiple infections and endured 24 surgeries. He finally elected to undergo a right leg above the knee amputation to lessen infection and improve function and recently had osseointegration surgery. Mountain biking is an integral part of his physical and mental health, and quality of life. The Challenge is to create afunctional, safe breakaway system for his osseointegrated prosthetic leg attachment so he can safely continue his activities.

Mark Thorton was an active duty in the US Army from September 1983 to June 1991, serving in the Fort Campbell 101st air-assault and the Alaskan E troop 1st Air Cavalry as a power plant repairman. After getting out of service in 1991, Mr. Thorton was severely injured in an explosion while working as a civilian contractor defueling a five-thousand-gallon gas tanker. He sustained multiple injuries including: blinded in left eye, broken L4-L5 vertebrae, broke both legs, broken ribs, and the major broken T4 vertebrae. This has left Mr. Thorton paraplegic and unable to walk. Despite this major accident, Mr. Thorton has still remained physically active, especially when it comes to being out in the ocean and surfing. He has experimented with several different ways to surf, finding that using a waveski is the easiest for him. The challenge for Mr. Thorton comes when launching his waveski into the water. The waveski itself weighs a considerable amount and along with disability, makes it difficult to get into the water. Our team has been challenged with the task of designing and building a device that allows Mr. Thorton, or any other individual with paraplegia, to independently enter the ocean on their waveski.

Adaptive Freedom Foundation is dedicated to offering open water experiences to all people with disabilities (from wounded veterans to children born with disabilities) who are typically excluded due to their mobility issues. Adaptive Freedom Foundation’s main goal is to promote accessibility and inclusion through the adaption of ocean activities, specifically paddle boarding. Adaptive Freedom Foundation utilizes a unique watercraft called the WASUP (Wheelchair Accessible Stand Up Paddleboard). The WASUP gives wheelchair-bound and immobile athletes the freedom to safely take to the water, gaining a feeling of accomplishment, fortitude, teamwork, and determination.‍ The goal of this Challenge is to design and fabricate a new WASUP that will be used by people with disabilities to help them remain active and healthy as well as to help promote inclusion and empowerment. The three (3) WASUPs that are currently being utilized have been around for over 5 years but is somewhat limited due to the design, age, and durability. The goal is to create a new design to alleviate some of the current issues. Ideally, the new WASUP would: be extra buoyant and stable; easy to paddle and maneuver; be made from durable material; and most importantly transportable.

After receiving a prosthetic limb, patients experience a unique set of challenges which impact the daily lives and activities of affected individuals. In order to improve their everyday life, many programs, such as Quality of Life Plus (QL+) and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), work with wounded veterans to minimize these effects through rehabilitation and adaptive technologies in hopes of returning patients to previously enjoyed activities. WRNMMC has a Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system which represents a new era in rehabilitation by utilizing virtual reality to simulate environments patients may face. With the popularity of snowboarding as an adaptive sport, and the heel-to-toe weight distribution component of the sport, a CAREN snowboarding simulation would be useful for patients. WRNMMC has attempted snowboard simulation in the past with the CAREN system, mainly relying on placing the snowboard on a static device such as a foam block. However, the previous simulation attempts were unrealistic and have not provided sufficient feedback that would aid in the rehabilitation process. Senior Design Team #8 has been tasked with creating a realistic snowboarding simulation for the patients at WRNMMC.

Our Challenger is a former Infantry Marine who works in motor cross with Ranger Road, an organization that helps Veterans in sporting activities. He was in an IED blast and injured his lower extremities. (Left Below the Knee Amputation, Right Above the Knee Amputation)He used to snowboard and would like to get back to it. He doesn’t think he will need assistance for his below the knee side. The issue is the above knee side, for which he has a very basic design for a leg that may solve the issue he sees that most "sport" legs don't address. The challenge is to create a functional, safe modified knee and ankle prosthetic for him to use to snowboard for recreation but that he can also use in his work with motorcross.

The proposed design challenge is to design and build a portable and safe transfer device for people with spinal cord injuries to be able to transfer into a bobsled. The device will be portable to the four different start locations at the Lake Placid facility and to the different bobsleds in the loading platform. This device assists spinal cord injury athletes with their current transfer method, which is time consuming, causes muscle fatigue, soreness, or injury. These difficulties have made some athletes resort to staying in their bobsled between runs. The device reduces bobsled transfer difficulties to allow athletes with spinal cord injuries to be less disadvantaged compared to other paraplegic athletes

The objective of this Challenge was to create a device to effectively clean our Challenger's wheelchair tires before he enters his home. QL+ Challenger, Adam Keys, is an Army Veteran and triple amputee (bilateral above the knee and below the left elbow). Adam lives a very active lifestyle; most recently, he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and participated in the Chicago Marathon. He was recently named Military Times' Veteran of the Year for 2019....

Para-athletes that are part of the International Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation (IBSF) require an alternate starting method for the launch phase of a bobsled run. A current bobsled launcher exists to create an even push and start time, but this launcher is for competition use only. It is difficult to transport the competition launcher between training camps and it is too expensive to build multiple. The practice launcher should be easy to move and ship back and forth between the two American bobsled tracks; Lake Placid, NY and Park City, UT. To fill the need for a training launcher, the team partnered with Quality of Life + (QL+) to design and create a safe, cost effective, portable, and fully functional practice launcher to meet the customers’ needs. After generating multiple concepts, the team chose a design called “Matter of a Pinion.” This concept utilizes a motor to rotate a pinion that pushes forward a gear rack and actuating arm. To ensure the launcher would be able to provide enough force, calculations were performed. These analyses influenced the length of the pushing arm, pinion size, and motor selection. The actuating arm is made of a hollow square 2” x 2” x 0.125” Aluminum 6063 tube, with an electromagnet to attach to the back of the bobsled. The steel helical gear rack is attached to the top of the actuating arm. To propel the gear rack, a 1.5 inch pinion is rotated by a 5 horsepower motor. The motor can provide a speed of 1750 RPM with an accelerating torque of 180 in-lbs. A variable frequency drive controls the speed of the motor and communicates with the operator’s hand controller. The hand controller contains both a remote and dead man switch for safety. To ensure the gear rack fully resets between launches, limit switches were implemented. A welded Aluminum 6063 frame is covered by ABS paneling and weather stripping to protect all components. On the outside of the enclosure, there are handles and wheels for portability, as well as a height adjuster to ensure the launcher is level. After completing the design and build phases, the launcher was tested. The launcher meets 93% of the target specifications. Overall, the team is confident that the launcher will provide a launch similar to the competition launcher, and will enhance the para-athletes training and performance.

Project Goal: The goal of the project was to develop a prosthetic that would be natural and easy to use for Ben, and allow him the ability to perform simple grip-and-hold functions such as holding a water bottle.

The wheelchair transfer device project was conducted for a QL+ client. The challenger for this specific project was Jeff Dolezal. Jeff served in the Air Force and was injured in a motorcycle wreck in 1980. The accident caused spinal damage and as a result, Jeff uses a manual wheelchair every day for mobility....

The Challenge is to design and build a functioning bed rail for home use.

Adam Keys, 2019 Veteran of the Year, is frustrated by the dirt and debris tracked into his home via his wheelchair tires....

QL+ engineering students from Virginia Tech were tasked with the Challenge of creating a Wheelchair Tire Change Device for QL+ Challenger and Army Veteran, Tammy Landeen. Tammy was involved in a horseback riding accident that resulted in the loss of her leg function. She lives in Maine and is an avid outdoors person. Tammy depends on others to help her change out her wheelchair wheels whenever they get dirty from outside activity. She challenged this team to design a device that would allow her to be more independent and improve her quality of life....

QL+ engineering students from Virginia Tech worked on the Spasticity Hand Brace for QL+ Challenger, Mark Dellinger. Mark is a retired US Air Force Sergeant who had a stroke in 2015. The stroke resulted in limited mobility on the right side of Mark’s body. He has regained some mobility but is still affected by a condition known as spasticity in his right wrist and hand. Spasticity is characterized by continually contracting muscles. This condition makes it nearly impossible for Mark to voluntarily open his hand, causing difficulty in performing daily tasks such as cleaning and cooking....

QL+ mechanical engineering students from Virginia Tech tackled the Spikeboard Challenge. QL+ Challenger, Rob Jones is a double, above the knee, amputee that is committed to pushing himself past any obstacle. Rob is a fellow Hokie that deployed to Iraq in 2008 with the Marine Corps. In 2010, he deployed to Afghanistan where his main role was to detect buried IEDs. Unfortunately, an IED exploded before he found it and he lost both of his legs in the incident. Rob has by no means let his condition limit him in any way. He won a bronze medal in the 2012 Paralympics as a tandem rower, ran 31 marathons in 31 days in 31 different cities, and he has also cycled across the United States of America....

Dawn is a retired Army Captain who was injured in Iraq in 2004 when a rocket-propelled grenade went through her Jeep. This resulted in the loss of her right arm and shoulder. Dawn is a very active person and is a fitness enthusiast. She loves to work out with the assistance of her trainer. However, due to her injury, she is unable to perform exercises such as push-ups and planks. Attempts at these exercises result in the misuse of her muscles and could damage them or result in the uneven development of abdominal muscles....

QL+ engineering students from Virginia Commonwealth University worked on the Waterproof Osseointegration Covers Challenge for an Army Veteran who lost both legs above the knee due to an improvised explosive device (IED). Due to the severe damage to his legs and the recovery process, he was unable to wear conventional prosthetics. As such, he underwent a trial study and became a recipient of osseointegration surgery. This procedure involves taking titanium rods and grafting them to the bone to facilitate the attachment of a prosthetic device....

The project Challenger, Phil Swinford, is a retired U.S. Army Veteran and Virginia Tech Parent who experienced an injury while mountain biking with his son, who is a cadet at Virginia Tech....

The recumbent bike lift assistance project is being executed in accordance with the Quality of Life Plus (QL+) Program and the VCU School of Engineering. The project is designed for Retired Master Sergeant Marina Libro. For Marina, recumbent biking is a form of physical therapy as well as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle....

The Challenger would like to have a brace that circulates hot water around his knee joint that allows him to walk and is powered. The Game Ready circulates ice cold water for a variety of joints, so something similar that is small, portable and has hot water circulating in a knee brace is the general idea.

The creation of a waterproof osseointegration cover was designed for patients with amputations above the knee with osseointegration pegs that interface with the patient’s prosthetic limb.......

The Challenge is to create a device to help the veterans to get in and out of the race vehicles. The device must be safe, easy to use, adjustable (up and down and side to side), and it must accommodate people of various sizes.

Our design approach utilizes a commercial mouth-operated USB game controller called QuadStick to provide manual control of the drone. A custom-built Printed Circuit Board (PCB) intercepts USB data from the QuadStick and maps that data to control signals to a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). This DAC produces outputs that emulate the voltages generated from each joystick and relevant button channels on the DJI transmitter motherboard. By the end of Fall, we were able to provide a proof-of-concept system which provided stable 4-channel joystick control of throttle, yaw, and strafe. In our latest revision, a Multiplexer installed on the PCB allows us to digitally swap the input signals of the motherboard’s joystick ports between the DAC output and the original joysticks, eliminating the need for a physical switch to be installed on the controller and providing a true plug-and-play solution.

Ranger Road is a nonprofit organization providing Veterans the necessary tools to be successful during the crucial transition from military to civilian life. Ranger Road has several programs to involve injured veterans in recreation sports. Participation in challenging team activities provides physical and mental benefits for veterans and those assisting. One such activity is the Gut Check Race. It involves a litter carry and the current litter is heavy and is made of canvas, which does not wear well, especially in different conditions which may include mud or water. Ranger Road requests the creation of a long litter carry to over terrain where the litter bearers would like to have the ability to use wheels. The litter must be lightweight, durable, foldable, and portable that can be easily-converted to use off-road wheels.

This QL+ Challenge was to develop a knee brace for our Challenger, a Veteran Army Paratrooper. He suffered soft tissue damage after a parachute malfunction, resulting in bone spurs, arthritis, and meniscus injuries. He wanted a brace that doesn't slip during activity. The team’s objective was to develop a brace that he can use during daily activities, including sled hockey....

We partnered with Quality of Life Plus in order to create a device that will allow a veteran with Essential Tremor ("ET), specifically intention tremor, to use a hammer....

The Challenge is to develop a physical mouthpiece device, accompanied with an application that treats symptoms of PTSD and anxiety disorders.

Our Challenger would like to design a “sleeve” or prosthetic device that would keep the lining around her leg amputation warm while operating in an extremely cold environment. ‍The Challenge is to design an adaptive sleeve fitted to her right leg that provides a comfortable level of warmth and protection for her current and future prosthetic legs.

There is a growing population of visually impaired veterans returning from military duty who would like to remain active despite disabilities as a result of service. Team River Runner was established as an organization to provide physical activity and camaraderie specifically for these servicemen. Team River Runner has recently focused on offering a means for the visually impaired to remain active by kayaking. The team’s objective is to create a more efficient and effective guidance system for the visually impaired to navigate a river slalom course.

US Army SGT Adam Keys (Ret.) deployed to Afghanistan in early 2010. He was traveling in a mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) convoy vehicle when it ran over an improvised explosive device (IED). Due to an infection in his bloodstream, he ultimately lost both legs and his left arm....

There were several milestones accomplished this year along with some outside challenges that altered the project timeline. For the automated spring movement subsystem, a novel stepper motor threaded rod linear actuator design to move the springs inward and outward along the wobble plate was developed. A mock system utilizing one set of smaller components verified the feasibility of the design approach. A full-scale system was then designed in CAD and all necessary parts were either sourced or requested from the machine shop using drawing files. Due to delays in receiving parts from the machine shop, the full-scale system did not start being built until the Spring 2021 semester. Furthermore, the machine shop delays have prevented experimental testing to confirm the necessary stepper motor specifications and power distribution requirements. In addition to building and testing the full-scale automated spring wobble plate in the Spring 2021 semester, a power distribution subsystem was sourced to operate the stepper motors and scissor jack lifts. For the stabilization mechanism subsystem, several concepts were explored, and it was determined that the scissor jack lifts design was the best path forward. The scissor jack lifts initial concept was tested. In the Spring 2021 semester, the stepper motors were secured to the scissor jack threaded rods via a U-shaped brackets and couplers. Unistrut beams were welded to the tops of the scissor jacks to offer horizontal contact points with the upper seat plywood board. Due to machine shop delays, additional safety features were scaled back, including an adjustable footrest and enclosed ball socket. For the calibration procedure subsystem, a python script was developed that yielded the same output as the spreadsheet currently used by WRNMMC to determine/calculate corresponding MGH values (ex. MGH80%) at different spring positions, by inputting the participant’s forward/backward moments and angles yielded by the physical calibration procedure. Additionally, a python script was developed that allows WRNMMC to explore and calculate the anthropometric calibration method. Furthermore, three sets of calibration wedges were designed offer 5-, 7.5-, and 10-degree chair tilts that allow WRNMMC to explore tilting the chair during the calibration procedure to different known angles. The team was able to visit WRNMMC early in the Spring 2021 semester, where data was collected, and the code was tested.

QL+ Engineering students from CU-Boulder designed and built a "Swimmer Lift" as their capstone project. The QL+ Challenger is the Travis Mills Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting recalibrated veterans and their families through long-term programs that help them overcome physical obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation....

The primary objective of the shower leg prosthetic was to design and develop a unit that provided our user the ability to stand in the shower. Throughout the completion of our project, we focused heavily on his safety and comfort, as well as his desire to have full access to his residual limb. We aimed to implement as many features as possible that catered to the transportability of the prosthetic for his athletic travel demands. Multiple iterations of the prosthetic were created to influence the directional changes needed for the final product. The largest impact came from the engineering prototype, where the bottom design of the seat was drastically redesigned to ensure our final print would be without error. It was also in this iteration that we opted for ASA material instead of ABS, for reasons regarding improved mechanical properties and its resistance to UV, weather, and warping. The testing that took place that directly affected our prints was the tolerance testing in DFX, while motion capture testing confirmed the choice of cane we used. Mechanical testing with ANSYS simulation provided the expected performance of our design under load, and highlighted potential areas of concern. An unexpected issue we faced with the production prototype was with the bottom TPU component between the seat and the cane, where it bent under zero load. Our solution was to solidify this joint by either coating the exterior with epoxy, covering the shaft with a clear tube, or substituting the TPU altogether with a brazed piece of steel. Moving forward with the latter, we were able to remove the risk entirely, while still maintaining the height adjustability and portability of the shower leg.

There are different forms of rehabilitation that exist to improve upon coordination, balance, and strength. Our project specifically works with hippotherapy which is basically a form of rehabilitation from riding horses....

An Army Veteran was paralyzed after an IED blew him off a cliff. While he was recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he was introduced to handcycling to help him recover from his injuries. He now travels all over the United States competing in races. He will soon be receiving a custom, carbon fiber handcycle from Carbon Bike USA. The Challenge is to design and build a case that he can use to transport his bike while traveling. The case must be durable, easy for our Challenger to use without assistance, and must protect his bike during commercial air travel.

QL+ engineering students from the University of Cincinnati were tasked with the challenge of designing a hydraulic disc butt brake. The purpose of this challenge is to create an alternative braking mechanism for a bicycle. The challenger for this project is Ashley Crandall. Ashley served six years in the Army and another four in the Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic. Ashley suffers from a weak grip in her hands due to a multitude of health issues. These injuries restrict Ashley’s ability to use the traditional hand brakes on a bicycle. Ashley enjoys riding her bike and has many friends in the cycling community. Because of her injury, Ashley has been unable to participate in cycling events and has lost touch with some of the community. With the Butt Brake, Ashely will be able to get back to doing what she loves....

The purpose of the Power-Assist Handcycle project was to design and construct a removable apparatus to add to an existing handcycle that could propel a rider safely and effectively....

QL+ engineering students from the University of Dayton were asked to design and build a Voice-Activated Shifting Device for QL+ Challenger, Tim Brown. The goal of this Challenge is to create a device that will allow Tim to use his voice to activate the derailleurs on his handcycle to shift gears. The device is lightweight, durable, weatherproof, portable, and simple to use....

QL+ engineering students from the University of Dayton designed and built a Treadmill Centering Device for blind Air Force Veteran, Larry Gunter. While Larry was serving in the Air Force, he was diagnosed with Retina Pigmentosa, a genetic disease that causes the degeneration of the retina. This degeneration ultimately causes blindness. Despite being blind, Larry is very active. He cycles runs, swims, and rows. In June, he hiked the Appalachian Trail....

The purpose of the Stable Walker Challenge was to design a walker that is similar to, but more stable than the Merry Walker. A Physical Therapy Supervisor at the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center has veteran patients with dementia that would benefit from a more stable mobility device. These types of patients tend to shake and tip the Merry Walker, and as a result, cannot be left alone without supervision for any length of time....

The goal of this project was to create a see-behind system that would alert a kayaker, specifically veterans with PTSD, to approaching paddlers....

The goal of the Drop Ease Challenge is to provide the ability to self-administer eye drops to patients with disabilities....

Our Challenger is Team River Runner Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. Team River Runner is a national non-profit organization that provides social and physical activities to veterans and active duty service members through kayaking and boating. Since they provide these services as trips to veterans and service members with a variety of physical and mental disabilities, there are challenges with balance when entering and exiting the kayaks and boats....

An Army veteran, who lost his leg below the knee in Afghanistan, would like a socket air pump system that improves socket fit by accounting for the volume changes he experiences throughout the day.

QL+ engineering students from San Diego State University were challenged to design and build a device to help a veteran, who lost both legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED), turn and control a surfboard. The team connected with Jordan Sisco, a veteran Army sergeant with the 123rd Infantry Battalion. In 2012, while on foot patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Jordan stepped on an IED and lost both legs and his left thumb. Surfing is one of Jordan’s favorite pastimes and has been a great outlet for him since the incident....

Team BioShield has been sponsored by Quality of Life Plus to design and create a protective cap for individuals with osseointegration....

This project presents a solution for individuals who struggle with the intricacies of organizing medication into weekly pill containers....

QL+ engineering students from San Diego State University tackled the Motorcycle Wheelchair Carrier Challenge. The goal of this Challenge was to design and fabricate a carrier for a motorcycle that can securely attach a wheelchair for a paralyzed Veteran....

Throughout the course of the past nine months working on our senior project, our team has grown tremendously as engineers. We began this project with a vision and a goal to make our challenger’s dream come true through applying abilities in engineering and problem-solving....

Quality of Life Plus (QL+) aims to generate engineering innovations that aid and improve the quality of life for those who have served our country. The organization works in collaboration with many engineering students across the United States to give them the opportunity to apply their engineering skills to solve real-life problems....

Background: Our Challenger has been in the Army since 1998 and sustained an injury to his right leg during his tour in Iraq between 2003 and 2004. He was injured when several roadside bombs went off, with the shrapnel severing his lower leg. He now wears a prosthesis after having an amputation above the knee in 2004.

Jason requires a machine to assist him in the transition between his wheelchair and ice hockey sled. This way, Jason can easily and more safely be lifted from his wheelchair to his sled. The system must fit in Jason’s van, be light enough that one person can lift and set it up, take no more than two minutes to transport Jason, and remain static while under heavy load in every position of the transportation process...

The Challenge is to have a multi-sport prosthetic foot that allows him to play baseball, body build, and cycle without having to change out his foot.

The Challenger requested hiking prosthetics that allow him to walk over uneven terrain safely and efficiently.

Our Challenger is an Air Force Veteran who retired in 1980 due to a spinal cord injury. He has short legs and uses a make-shift transfer step to off-set his short legs as he transfers in and out of his van, and in and out of bed, etc. He is a T3 complete paraplegic and uses a wheelchair for his mobility....