Spring 2015 - revised plan

Latest plan is to design and build a Pedalong attachment to fit on the front of existing wheelchairs.

Design in April followed by summer 2015 construction with testing in the fall.

Sorry for all the delays, but this has been a very tough design challenge!

Holidays 2014 - plan for spring 2015

The 2010 Pedalong is still at David Brown's lab, University of Alabama med school.  People like it, but we all know it's not good enough yet.

I taught CADCAM this fall for the first time in 12 years, and my students' projects on physical therapy equipment were quite interesting.

Starting mid-February a student team and I will undertake yet another design, possibly using permanent magnet electric motors.  Chain drives have proven tricky through about a dozen versions!

If you can't drive the Communists out of Cuba, try something different, right.

Demo video link for 2010 Pedalong

Here's a link to a video demo of the 2010 Pedalong.  It's being tested at the University of Alabama's medical school in Birmingham.  We're still looking for a partner to help fund development and become a part owner.  If you are interested, let me know and I'll send a copy of the recent provisional patent and more.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/crnfn0t510p067q/may31-withvideo%20300.AVI

rollin.dix@gmail.com is the best way to contact me.  and thanks.

Paper describing current and future of Pedalong

PEDALONG – A THERAPEUTIC EXERCISER FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS

Rollin Dix – June 2013

Here is the INTRODUCTION to an 11 page paper summarizing plans and progress - please call me at 773-239-3514 if you want a copy.

This paper describes the continued design, development and testing of a pedaling attachment for wheelchairs “Pedalong” by Patpending Marketing, Inc. The invention is intended to provide therapeutic exercise for stroke, cerebral palsy, MS and other patients, and for the very elderly, . Other possible applications are exercise in early post-operative care and in hospital transport to and from physical therapy. By providing propulsion for the seated user, the Pedalong may promote more interesting and therefore more regular and longer-continued exercise.

The result of our eight-year effort, the Pedalong has a crank and pedals extending forward (and retracting) from beneath the wheelchair on a chain-carrying mast supported under the wheelchair. These pedals propel the wheelchair while a steering handle at armrest height steers it.

My colleague Dr. David Brown's primary research interest is post-stroke rehabilitation. This summer we plan for testing of current prototypes at his Rehabilitation Science Program at the University of Alabama and at the Lakeshore Rehabilitation Center, both in Birmingham.

This paper contains a review of the need for therapeutic exercise equipment, details of our plan for the coming year, a history of the project so far, plans beyond the coming year, a review of the competition, and references.

Plan in April

During the summer Pedalong manufacture and testing should produce ideas for our August NIH proposal.  We're using all available resources while preparing Pedalong for "adaptive fitness" as well as clinical testing.

Proposals, designs, team building

Change of plans - back to the 2008 design because the 2011-12 design seems too tolerance dependent to be practical.  However, much was learned! Soon an STTR proposal will be submitted with UnivAlabama, Birmingham, as the lead (Dave Brown has moved there from Northwestern).  We delivered a Pedalong unit to him in November, and it got good reviews at his open house last month.  Another unit (now here in Chicago) is working OK, but needs some improvements.  Preparing the documents and getting the STTR team defined is first priority now.

Status and next steps

The cross-axle, mast, rails, wheels, sprockets and chains are assembled.  Most other parts are machined and ready for final assembly of the completed prototype.

Pedalong plan – October 5, 2012

1) Finish the prototype, test it, and deliver it to Dr. Dave Brown at UAB in late November. 

2) File the provisional patent by that date. 

3) Complete the NIDRR proposal and submit it on their schedule.  Dr. Brown and Rob Kennedy at Turnkey Design, Inc., are the co-authors of this NIDRR proposal.

4) Locate a partner to continue developing Pedalong.  The partner should bring commitment, expertise, and some financing so that the second prototype can be completed, the patent filed, and more units built so extensive test marketing can be organized.

5) Further plans will be based on the results of the above steps.