2012 Robotics Advancing the Human Condition

[valeriemoore]

Hello everyone! Are you interested in pursuing a project that will advance
the human condition? Are you interested in engineering? Then you should
participate in the Robotics Advancing the Human Condition (RAHC)
engineering challenge. RAHC is an annual challenge hosted by the Illinois
Mathematics and Science Academy robotics team (FRC team 2022). This
challenge, which is open to all high school students both individually and
in a team, seeks to address the difficulties of handicapped individuals
through technological innovation.

Last year’s project, which was inspired by the IMSA
principal’s struggle against ALS, was to design and build a cost-efficient,
simple robotic arm for individuals with little upper body control to feed
themselves independently.

This year, our challenge is to design a device that will assist wheelchair
users. Wheelchairs are often not tall enough to allow occupants to reach
things such as counter tops and stoves or to allow them to transfer to
high beds, particularly those in hotels. This year’s challenge is to
design a device that will lift wheelchair occupants high enough for them
to reach these things. This device must safely lift occupants of
mechanical (not electric) wheelchairs 4 to 10 inches. It must cost less
than $2000, be able to lift at least 300 pounds, and your design must be
made available as Open Source.

Designs will be presented at IMSA on Saturday, December 11 at 4:00 P.M.
For a detailed list of rules, go to
http://coolhub.imsa.edu/web/robotics...rules/details.

To learn more about last year’s RAHC challenge, please read:
http://www.usfirst.org/aboutus/nlsep...ehrigs-disease

If you are interested or have questions please contact Jim Gerry at:
RAHC.titanrobotics@gmail.com or at jgerry@imsa.edu
630-907-5894