Recreation
Guitar Attachment
A music therapist wanted her students with disabilities to play the guitar in group music classes. The children could not use two hands and some of them could not hold the guitar in place. A special capo was made and fitted with a roller so that it tracks along a rod suspended above the strings between brackets at each end of the neck of the guitar. The therapist tuned the guitar so that each bar position produces a major chord. This works in much the same way as a slide guitar, allowing for chord progressions to be played using only one hand at a time. A vertical or horizontal post can be added to the capo to make it easier to hold. This attachment can be fitted to any guitar in a few minutes. An adjustable wooden frame to support the guitar in position was also designed which could be fitted to a variety of wheelchairs. Ref T0/532 & 99/103
Martial Arts Stick
A man in a wheelchair studies martial arts as a hobby. His wooden fighting stick was hard for him to hold and it kept splintering until it finally broke. A new stainless steel fighting stick was made. This stick is strong and has plastic grips to protect the hands and for easier handling. Ref 99/706
Modified Bike Seat
A young boy sits in a supportive seat behind his mum or dad when they are out bike riding. However, his head flops forward with the weight of the helmet and he requires extra support to sit up straight. The boy's sitting position was improved by modifying the bike seat and making a new headrest. A new headrest was constructed in a shape to cater for position of helmet and it can be adjusted in any direction. A padded cover was made for the headrest. The seat was lowered and reclined back further which involved reshaping the mounting bars. Slots for seat belt were changed to ensure seatbelt sits over hips. Ref T0/656
Knee Control Pedal for Sewing Machine
A woman who was a keen sewer could no longer use the foot pedal on her sewing machine after an ongoing medical condition limited her ability to control her feet. However, she still had control of her legs with side to side movement. The control pedal has been mounted to the right hand side of the sewing cabinet where the client can comfortably operate the pedal with her knee. The control pedal is attached to a mounting block with Velcro so that it can be positioned to suit the client and so that the pedal can be removed to close the cabinet door after use. Ref T0/551
Camera Mount
A tertiary student who uses a motorised wheelchair for mobility due to muscular atrophy wanted to study a photography subject, but needed a way of holding the camera. An existing camera mount was successfully adapted by making a new fitting, modifying the mounting stand and adjusting the tilt handle to suit the wheelchair. The mounting keeps the camera adjustable giving 100mm fore and aft of the pan-tilt head, thus providing the client with sufficient flexibility. Ref T1/057
Heavy Duty Pick-up Stick
A man with paraplegia was working in a large plant nursery/hardware store. He needed a pick-up stick that would lift heavy items such as pot plants, tins, buckets and bags down from high shelves or up from floor level. The client came to TADVIC with the design of this reaching device and the final product is a combination of the ideas and skills of both volunteer and client. The device is almost 2 metres long and will pick up heavy large items such as a 10" plant pot or paint tin, as well as small lightweight things such as a gum nut off the ground or a flower off a bush. Ref 95/301
Glue bottle squeezer
Several people at a craft centre found it hard to squeeze a glue bottle due to arthritis in their hands. A simple lever system was devised to reduce the force exerted by hand. The wooden device is easy to use and move around. Ref 98/436
Handlebar for Trampoline
A four year old girl with poor balance required some kind of safety support whilst jumping up and down on a trampoline. A T-bar was constructed using a sliding tube welded to a plate held onto the trampoline frame with car muffler clamps. The T- bar can be adjusted for length and angle, and swivelled out of the way so others can use the trampoline. White paint and a yellow handle make it easily visible. The entire unit can be quickly removed and replaced. Ref T1/656
Motorised 3 Wheel Stroller
A 9 year old boy with multiple disabilities has a 3-wheel stroller for outdoor use. His parents were experiencing difficulties pushing him uphill whilst out walking and wondered about the possibility of adding a motor. An electric hub motor from an electric push bike and a gel battery were selected as suitable for this situation. A housing for the motor drive was designed that could easily be fitted and removed for transporting. It is fitted to the back axle of the buggy and hand locked with screws and safety strap. The motor can be used intermittently as required and does not affect the steering or handling characteristics of the stroller. Ref T0/587
Whipper Snipper Holder
Arthritis has been hindering this woman's ability to use a heavy whipper snipper in the garden. She had the idea of a waist harness to reduce the strain on her spine, neck and shoulders. Seat belt webbing was used to make the waist harness which was designed to take the weight in the same way a hip belt on a pack takes the whole weight of the pack. The balance point for the belt was established then a disk inserted to hold the whipper snipper. An adjustable handle was added to provide control and direction of the whipper snipper. Ref T0/045
Arm Sling for Artist
A woman with a shoulder injury was unable to continue with her painting as she was unable to hold her arm up for long periods of time. TADVIC constructed a sling for her right forearm which uses a series of counterweights to support her arm whilst still enabling her to move it vertically and horizontally. The sling is suspended via a chord, from an adjustable overhead swinging arm device attached to the woman’s office chair. The height of the sling can be adjusted by the woman, via a second chord which runs through a series of pulleys. The swinging arm can be set to be fixed or to swing through any range of up to 180 degrees. T9-466
Modifications to Recumbent Bike
A woman with a recumbent bike was experiencing difficulties getting on and off the bike and keeping her feet on the pedals. Modifications were made to her cycling shoes to allow her to push straight from the hip needing a lot less strength to clip in and release her feet. The volunteer relocated the cleats on the shoes and rotated the cycle shoe lock plates, reducing the tendency for side thrust to dislodge the clamps. A hand operated locking device was made to hold the chain wheel and pedals in position for clicking feet in and out of the pedal clamps. A 'hockey' stick was made to lever the shoes outward and release the shoe from the pedal clamp. The bike handles were cut and re-welded to sit vertically. Blocks were added to the soles of the shoes to provide a level footprint making it possible to walk in the shoes. Ref T1/006
