Art and engineering get creative… together

 The “Dance/Mobility Chair Project” at the University of South Florida is not “spinning wheels.” The effort to redesign a wheelchair that provides enough mobility for users to dance is rolling along nicely. But, the project needs a little more funding to continue testing and developing a unique prototype wheelchair that offers users the ability to dance, and may offer future users a whole lot more.

          The project, initiated by Merry Lynn Morris, MFA, a faculty member in the University of South Florida’s College of Arts, had the full and happy collaboration of the USF College of Engineering’s Center for Assistive and Rehabilitation Robotics and the USF School of Physical Therapy. Early funding was internal to USF and has continued with small donations and a partnership with Custom Mobility, Inc.

          “We wanted to change negative stigmas associated with disability,” said Ms. Morris. “That’s when we considered making a wheelchair that could be an instrument of human expression.

          The concept included making a wheelchair that could be utilized on stage and in interaction with other dancers.

          “It was a creative challenge,” said Ms. Morris. “We had to consider the project from an aesthetic, human, and expression-oriented focus, not just a functional one.”

          However, functional aspects were not ignored, and that’s where the engineers came in to consider materials, sensory control options, versatility, tight turning radius, improved balance and enough speed capability to be able to support choreographic movement invention. They also considered ease of transport, seating options and movement possibilities. Onboard are multidirectional wireless capabilities and body connectivity control that frees the user’s arms and hands. The patented prototype chair allows the user to move the chair by simply leaning the torso.

          The original chair was tested by a focus group of individuals both with and without disability.

The unique chair caught media attention and was the focus of stories on CNN and PBS.

Further research will include testing the prototype with a variety of populations. The benefits may go well beyond expression through dance.

          “Our research has suggested that the chair we designed may have benefits in terms of energy efficiency and core conditioning, as well as freedom of expression,” explains Ms. Morris. “It will have implications for use in rehabilitation and for improving the daily mobility needs of general users because it integrates multiple movement options not currently available in commercial power chairs.”

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Project: The Dance/Mobility Chair

Researchers: Merry Lynn Morris, MFA and Kathryn DeLaurentis, PhD

Affiliation: University of South Florida

Project duration: On-going, 24 months

Research funds needed: $25,000