JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of North Florida has been granted two new U.S. patents that have the potential to "help thousands of children with disabilities attain a higher degree of freedom and comfort over traditional mobility devices, such as wheelchairs," a news release states.
The university says the two patents are for a "unique modular ride-on mobility device" that is equipped with proportional control switches, as the inventions are over a decade in the making.
UNF Engineering Associate Professor Juan Aceros and UNF Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Guilherme Cesar, began the 'Adaptive Toy Project' in 2013, the release states. The project became a popular interdisciplinary class where UNF physical therapy students would assess the needs of individual children and engineering students would create customized ride-on toy cars tailored to meet the specific therapy needs of each pediatric patient who participated in the program, according to the release.
Each year, the university says that the program would put on a giveaway event where the families of the pediatric patients would come together as each of the personalized mobility devices were unveiled and given to the children.
Aceros and Cesar are now collaborating to further expand the successful program by looking at the biomechanical effects underpinning the use of ride-on mobility devices, the release states; they recently received a prestigious award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research to study the impact on balance control after intervention with novel stand-on, ride-on power mobility devices for children with cerebral palsy.
"Conventional ride-on devices are not designed for long-term use and are often perceived as toys rather than essential tools," the release states. "As a result, these devices are typically small, cramped, non-adjustable and equipped with traditional control mechanisms that may be inoperable or extremely challenging to use and enjoy."
The university also says that children and young adults typically outgrow conventional mobility devices every few years, or even in a few months. This forces families to regularly upgrade to larger models when children no longer fit in their previous devices and the economic burden of constantly having to purchase new devices, often causes children to go without the essential mobility devices they need, according to the release.
UNF says it is Aceros’ hope that one day parents can adjust the devices themselves at home to accommodate their children’s needs as they grow.
Aceros will host a special seminar course for engineering students to begin creating prototype models for the modular ride-on devices, the release states. No details were released regarding when the special seminar course will happen for UNF's engineering students.
Once prototypes are finalized and tested, the release states that UNF will look to partner with a medical equipment provider to mass-produce the devices and help young people with disabilities worldwide move easier.