BME 401: Senior Capstone Design

This universal attachment will work for all models of both motorized and manual wheelchairs to provide a practical place for the portable VO₂ analyzer to be placed and utilized during training. The proposition is to deliver a prototype and detailing documents of a COSMED K5 universal holster containing the following specifications. The mount must be lightweight, less than 0.5 kilograms, as light as possible, in order to not hinder the wheelchair user experience and not weigh down the chair, which may affect research results. Most manual wheelchairs have a certain tip-weight ratio to allow for user control, so the mounting assembly with the K5 included must not throw off their ability to tip their chair. The attachment also must not hinder the movement of the wheelchair, both with comfort of the user and with the person who is pushing the chair from behind. The airflow and temperature of the device are factors that need to be kept in utmost importance when designing this attachment, as these need to be regulated to ensure the safety of both the participant and the proper operation of the device.

The project will be considered successfully completed when the prototype and the documents detailing the device are delivered in April 2024.