Made in Collaboration with Dr. Rory Cooper, Jessica Steinberg, Benjamin Gebrosky, and Garrett Grindle

​

I researched, designed, and fabricated a racing wheelchair using a single sheet of aluminum stock. A US patent and technical publication from this work are in active preparation. At the same time, I assisted with the fabrication of a Kirigami ultralight wheelchair. 

​

The process involved extensive research into wheelchair racing design and the sport itself. The many design iterations were constructed in Solidworks and were determined from adjustable body measurements and preferences to allow for precise customizability and athletic performance. While the Kirigami ultralight chair was made with a 4' x 4' aluminum sheet, the racing wheelchair was determined to be too large for that size and therefore would need to be constructed from a 4' x 8' sheet instead. Because such a large amount of aluminum would be needed, it was decided that a cardboard prototype would be more beneficial to construct so that the order of its bends could be planned out ahead before the large sheet of aluminum was cut.

​

A paper stencil was first constructed to ensure the full chair would fit on a 4' x 8' sheet of cardboard. The cardboard prototype was then cut using a CNC router and assembled using hot glue. To better analyze its failure points and resistance to impact, a full set of cardboard wheels were constructed and attached also using cardboard and hot glue.