University of Colorado Boulder Team Creates Adaptive Fishing Rod Controller for Veterans with Limited Dexterity
At CU Boulder’s 2025 Engineering Projects Expo, a senior capstone team known as Ohm++ presented an impressive solution aimed at restoring a beloved pastime to veterans living with severe physical disabilities. Their innovation: The Adaptive Fishing Rod Controller, a system designed to help individuals with limited hand function—including those with spinal cord injuries or quadriplegia—enjoy the sport of fishing with ease and dignity.
The project was supported by QL Plus and the River Deep Foundation, whose partnership with CU Boulder provided the students with real-world client insight and engineering mentorship. The final product was the result of 32 weeks of hands-on development, including designing, debugging, coding, and extensive wiring.
“Our number one priority with this project was to build the best user experience and give power back to our disabled veterans to enjoy fishing again,” said team lead Garrett Hurd in a LinkedIn post. The system takes user inputs through a controller and then activates custom motor driver systems to simulate casting and reeling actions—all powered by a 24V battery.
This intuitive design was created with the help of insights from patients at Craig Hospital, a rehabilitation hospital that specializes in spinal cord and brain injury. The students also emphasized usability in recreational settings, such as those organized by River Deep Foundation for disabled veterans.
Team Ohm++ included Tyler Martin, Travis Wood, Pedro Mejido, Vedant Shah, and Felipe Tamayo Tapia, with mentorship from TA John Lettang and Capstone Professor Eric Bogatin.
Garrett added, “It was a privilege and honor to work and lead this project. I couldn’t have asked for a better team and sponsors to work with.”
This project stands as a testament to the power of human-centered engineering and interdisciplinary collaboration. It also highlights the role QL Plus plays in connecting students to projects that have immediate and lasting real-world impact.
(Photo credit: Garrett Hurd)
