Team Members
Brian Berman, Julio Ferrer, Sunil Ghosal, Bryce Malone, Dominik Medyk, Andre Oliveira, Andrew Smith
Abstract
Team six was tasked with designing a body weight support system (BWS) to support up to 300lbs with variable body weight reduction. The system incorporates a modular frame capable of fitting through a standard size door and is less than 9ft tall. The system is mounted on caster wheels and can be rolled on a flat surface to a desired position. The design features an automated system, which allows a patient to use the machine without the assistance of an operator. To use the system, a patient rolls their wheelchair to the back of the system. Once in position, the patient can be hoisted into position above the elliptical via a winch and dual NEMA 23 Stepper motor driven power screw. The control system utilizes two motors, a winch and a stepper motor, and a spring pulley system. The winch along with the spring pulley system provides most of the force needed to offset the desired weight while the second motor provides an additional force adjustment capability to account of the movement of the patient. The system also features redundancy in the case of a cable failure. This redundancy system functions through a seatbelt locking assembly along with a system of springs and dampeners to slowly bring the patient to a halt. The entire system was designed to have a maximum power draw of 1200 watts and would cost less than $4000.