Designers: Thomas Dabrowski, Sarah Philo, Adam Rauwerdink

Classic Rocker Designers: Thomas Dabrowski, Sarah Philo, Adam Rauwerdink Client Coordinator: Emily J Perkins, Holden Hospital, Buffalo, NY Supervising Professor: Dr. Brooke Hallowell Biomedical Engineering Department University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269

Figure 1: The “Classic” Rocker

INTRODUCTION

The Passionworks Studio in Athens, Ohio, provides a setting for artists with disabilities to pursue their interests. It is important for the artists to have an environment that promotes the creative process. The legless rocker provides the residents with an enjoyable experience while they develop new artistic ideas.

An electronically controlled legless rocker with a self-rocking motion has been requested for the Multisensory Stimulation Room at the Passionworks facility. Activation of the rocking motion must be through a simple switch that a user with special needs will be capable of controlling. Further, caretakers must be capable of turning the chair on and off through a switch that is not accessible to the user in the chair.

In addition, a speaker system to provide sensory stimulation to the chair user has been requested. Like the rocking motion, the choice to have music play out of the speakers will be controllable by the user through the use of a simple switch, with the caretakers having control of the power, volume, and specific music to be played.

SUMMARY OF IMPACT

The Classic Rocker is designed to be operated by artists at Passionworks Studio. Currently individuals wishing to rock in a legless rocking chair require the direct aid of a caretaker. For this reason, the facility desires a mechanized legless rocker. The facility also requests that the user be capable of controlling the rocking motion. This capability gives the user a sense of independence and frees the caretaker to tend to others in the room.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

The chair is built on an 8020 aluminum extrusion frame. This frame material allows for easy modification of the frame during the design and construction process. A machined hinge connects a base frame in contact with the ground to an upper frame attached to the chair.

A cam and linkage bar system attached to the back of the chair provides the rocking motion. A 1/6 horsepower DC electric gear motor supplies the necessary rocking force. The motor is powerful enough to rock users well beyond the specified user weight limit of 190 pounds. This will ensure that the motor is not stressed which should improve 2 its lifetime. The cam converts the rotational motion of the gear motor into the desired rocking motion. The size of this cam determines the range of rocking. A linkage bar connects the cam to a pivot on the back of the chair frame.

Figure 2: Drive System

Power is supplied by a 216W 12VDC power supply which plugs into a standard wall outlet. A caretaker control tower houses the caretaker control panel and a CD player. From this control panel the caretaker can switch on and off all parts of the chair. The panel also houses circuit breakers which protect the motor and CD player. The CD player feeds speakers which are implanted inside of the chair.

The user controls the rocking motion and music by two large switches: a touch switch and a squish switch. The switches are designed for simple operation. The caretaker can interchange the function of these switches by changing socket connections on the caretaker control tower.

For safety, all electrical wires are run within the extrusion tubing and hidden by extrusion covers. The power supply and the drive system are covered by plexi-glass shields.

The cost of parts/material was about $1100.