Category Archives: DIY

November 3, 2017 · 3:56 pm

A bit SHOUT – OUT to Tetra’s Volunteers!

Back in January, I wrote about the awesome TetraNation. In case you missed it, they’re a volunteer-led community of engineers and technically-minded people who help invent some pretty creative mobility solutions for people living with disabilities.

To celebrate their 30th anniversary and the great work of their dedicated volunteers, Tetra is holding a contest to showcase Tetra projects from chapters across the country!

Our world isn’t always built with accessibility in mind, and mobility devices (particularly those that are customized/personalized) are often really expensive. That’s what’s so amazing about these projects: they hinge on a DIY foundation to make accessible adaptations affordable AND individually tailored.

I’d like to give a huge shout-out to all of TetraNation’s incredible volunteers for making a real difference in people’s lives for three decades. THANK YOU!

Voting will be open until March 31, so check out the videos that have been posted so far and get INSPIRED! You can vote here: http://tetranation.org/video/.

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Filed under Accessibility, Barriers, competition, Design, DIY, invention, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Projects, Wheelchairs

July 24, 2017 · 10:00 am

Independence with a splash of colour

 

Ruth nearly ran me over recently she was going so fast. A speed demon at 91, Ruth told me when she had to give up her car – “they tested my eyes and right there on the spot told me to hand in my license – ha!” – she got herself a scooter to stay independent. Ruth obviously enjoys colour and has some rockin’ style. She crocheted her seat cover herself – “it’s pretty isn’t it?”

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Filed under Accessibility, Design, DIY, I Like Your Ride!, Mobility Aids, personalizing

July 17, 2017 · 9:32 am

Dude, dog and device

“Dude, dog and device.” Nicely done!

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Filed under Accessibility, DIY, I Like Your Ride!, personalizing

January 20, 2017 · 2:13 pm

TETRA – Volunteers working WITH people to CUSTOMIZE assistive devices according to THEIR needs

For 30 years, the Tetra Society of North America has been helping remedy real life problems for people with disabilities by creating customized assistive devices. Their primary goal is to reduce societal and environmental barriers through the creation of these devices while increasing independence for their clients in the process.

This nonprofit organization recruits skilled volunteers who are dedicated to fulfilling the unique—and sometimes challenging—requests that they receive. The projects they take on tackle barriers to mobility, personal care, and communications. They also help provide increased access within households and communities so that individuals can lead more independent lives. Depending on their needs, requests submitted by Tetra clients vary in complexity.

hip-supportFor example, one request was for a client with Cerebral Palsy looking to go on a long distance trip with their son on a plane. They were unable to sit in a regular plane seat, so they reached out to Tetra’s group of expert volunteers to see if anyone could build an exact replica of the client’s seating system that would allow them to travel by plane.

Another request was from a gentleman looking for assistance modifying his walker to include a semi-seat or hip support system to make walking easier (image to the right demonstrates suggested modifications).

Anyone can request assistance from their local Tetra chapter (there are 45 across Canada and the USA). When Tetra receives a request, they forward the general information to their cohort of volunteers to see if anyone is able to work on the project! I recently signed up to receive requests as part of Tetra Toronto.

Independence is linked to mobility, and it’s great to see an organization (and so many hardworking volunteers) coming together to address the mobility needs of members in their communities. According to their website, Tetra Society has completed 5,000 projects since they started up (many of which can be found and viewed via their online database).

More videos like the one featured above can also be viewed on their website here.

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Filed under Accessibility, Articles, Barriers, Design, DIY, invention, Mobility Aids, Posts, Projects, Wheelchairs

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May 24, 2016 · 4:57 pm

DIY with Duck (Duct) Tape

Whether you’ve got a bike, scooter, walker or wheelchair, duct tape is a seriously cheap and fast way to personalize any ride. No longer limited to that traditional grey, this strong adhesive product now comes in like a bazillion varieties of colours and sizes!

Duck Tape has leveraged the versatility of their brand to meet the needs of a growing number of DIY’s (do-it-yourselfers). They have a massive selection for people to choose from for repairs, crafts, labeling and decorating purposes. You can buy transparent tints, mini-rolls, sheets, and specialty duct tape—even scented and glow-in-the-dark products now exist!

Using duct tape as a tool for personalization is both accessible and affordable and the fact that is so durable and waterproof is an added bonus.  I recently came across these sweet rides that were decorated with duct tape – check them out!

I pulled up beside this sweet ride the other day and she told me "I started by fixing my seat and then loved it so much just kept taping! Hides the rust too!”

I pulled up beside this ride the other day and she explained her use of Duck Tape:  “I started by fixing my seat and then loved it so much just kept taping! Hides the rust too!”

This guy was in front of me at the border. He told me through his open window that he's "always been an outdoor guy."

Saw this camouflage scooter in front of me at the border. The guy inside told me through his open window that he thinks the tape is a great improvement “I’ve always been an outdoor guy.”

 

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April 26, 2016 · 10:10 am

Now you see me! Product promotes safety while elevating cool status!

It is estimated that 7,500 cyclists are seriously injured in Canada each year and one-third of cyclist deaths occur during the night. What if there was a way to make yourself more visible on the road? Volvo’s got you covered!

Volvo recently released a video promoting their new product – LifePaint – a unique reflective safety spray designed to make it hard to miss riders on the road at night. This spray is invisible during the day and glows brightly in the glare of car headlights at night making the invisible, visible. The added bonus is that it washes off, doesn’t alter fabric colours or surfaces, and lasts up to one week after application.

LifePaintCyclists aren’t the only ones in danger on the road.  LifePaint can be used on ANY mobility device including kids scooters, skateboards, motorized scooters, and wheelchairs. The goal is to make road safety accessible for everyone – and this seems like a really fun way to do that! You can buy this product at any Volvo Cars retailer.

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Image

Hung Ho

Hung Ho, a retired computer programmer, ingeniously reinvented his wheelchair! Equipped with a basket, welded bicycle tire, handlebars, and a headlight, Hung is cruising the city streets like no other.

Hung Ho, a retired computer programmer, ingeniously reinvented his wheelchair! Equipped with a basket, welded bicycle tire, handlebars, and a headlight, Hung is cruising the city streets like no other.

 

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July 23, 2015 · 4:51 pm
November 19, 2013 · 4:27 pm

Dr. Who, Halloween, and the most awesome wheelchair costumes!

How does all this fit together?

1. It’s the 50th anniversary of Dr. Who! The long running BBC science fiction tv series about the adventures of a time-traveling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. My brother and I seriously loved this show when we were kids – it has great characters and some seriously creative low-tech special effects!

2. Dr. Who travels in this super cool ship – the TARDIS – a time machine that is bigger on the inside than the outside.

The TARDIS used from 2005 to 2010

The TARDIS used from 2005 to 2010

3. It was Halloween a few weeks ago and I’ve started to notice an awesome trend toward Wheelchair Costumes (what a great idea!).  There are lots of great ones out there, but one of my all time favourites is from the UK of Dr. Who and his TARDIS!

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Filed under Design, DIY, Inspirational, Mobility Aids, Personal Stories, personalizing, Photos, Posts, Recreation, Uncategorized

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September 9, 2013 · 3:36 pm

Personalized Prosthetics – What’s your fancy?

Video: Woman builds prosthetic leg out of Lego - The Globe and Mail

Occupational therapist Christina Stephens designed and built her own lego leg – Cool! You can watch how she does this in her time-lapse video that went viral this past summer –

Personalized prosthetics serve many purposes beyond function – not only can they get people where they need to go, they do so with style, with fun, with flare, and yes with FASHION. Check out the ‘alternative limb project’ where consumers are participants in the design process selecting pieces that either “blend in with the body or stand out as unique pieces of art, reflecting the wearers imagination, personality, and interests”.

Floral SocketChrystalized LegPersonalized prosthetics, like personalized mobility devices, not only delight the eye, they help to break down social barriers by promoting conversation, admiration and interest. 

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May 17, 2013 · 10:22 am

Chinese DIY Inventors ROCK!

These inventions are incredible! Why? Because they are based on lived experiences (like old age) and needs (like the need to get out of a building fast). Because they function so well for the places and activities of daily life. AND because they are so beautiful! The combination wheelchair foldable bike is genius (exercise for the caregiver)! And who doesn’t want (need) a bike that is able to carry us over water as well as land as we commute to work? And that evacuation slide? It’s a work of art! Wouldn’t it be awesome in the MOMA?

83-year-old Zhang Yongqing shows off his invention, a combination of a wheelchair and foldable bicycle.  Zhang said he invented the multifunctional bicycle so that care-givers can take better care of wheelchair-bound elderly people.

Lei Zhiqian rides a modified bicycle across the Hanjiang River. The bicycle, equipped with eight empty water containers at the bottom, was modified by Lei’s instructor Li Weiguo, who hopes to put his invention into the market.

70-year-old inventor Zhou Miaorong tries out an evacuation slide he built himself in a building in Shanghai,. Zhou took over two years to design and build the mechanical slide which uses no electricity to implement in a domino effect, while also triggering a sprinkler system to fight a fire. 

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