A group of students at Michigan Tech pulled together to develop a human push powered off road wheelchair.

“The team had to overcome some challenges,” said sponsor John Beard, associate professor of mechanical engineering-engineering (ME-EM) mechanics. “They had to keep it fairly lightweight, since it was going to be self-propelled. And it had to stop before rolling backwards. They accomplished both. It can even go up a 28-degree slope.”

The goal of this project and similar projects Beard and his students have undertaken is to create vehicles and systems that the disabled can use without paving the Tech Trails, keeping the outdoor nature trails as natural as possible.

Students on the team spent an average of 140 hours each on the design of the wheelchair and ultimately came up with the Human Powered Off-Road Wheelchair. The wheelchair has machined parts, and the metal is coated to protect against the elements. Other features included one-way bearings for zero rollback, a total weight of 55 pounds, a consistent color scheme for aesthetics, a suspension seat to minimize pressure points, the ability to accommodate a range of heights—and it was all built under their $3,000 budget.

The wheelchair will be stored and used at the school’s Tech Trails once completed.

Well done team!

Read more on this wheelchair.