Team Members
Jonathan Albano, Vrushank Desai, Drayton Diggs, George Diggs
Abstract
The bodyweight off-set system (B.O.S.S.) design allows patients with neuromuscular disorders associated with the lower extremities to re-build muscular strength, increase bone density, improve cardiovascular health, expand limb mobility, and reconnect the brain to specific motions. This design consists of five subsystems that are brought together to optimize user performance, safety, and comfort. These subsystem designs are relatively simple and include common parts, allowing for easy manufacture and assembly. A common hydraulic jack is used to lift the patient in a wheelchair and allow for attachment to a standard harness for longitudinal and lateral support. Square tubing and brackets are used to construct the frame, which supports the user while strapped in. Once assembled, the frame is designed to bolt to structural studs on walls to maintain stability. The current tubing and bracket design allows for rapid deployment as well as a small footprint when fully disassembled. The user and trainer interface allow for easy control of the system via physical buttons on a central interface. A unique aspect of this system is the mechanical actuation of the weight offset via springs and a linear actuator. The system receives a weight offset target from the user and extends a series of springs that are in line with the pulley system until the offset target is met. While competing systems use pneumatic/electrical systems, our mechanical solution provides better control over the offset at a lower cost.