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Client: Art North
Sponsor: RIT MSD
Team:
| Member | Major | Role | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hannah | Mechanical Engineering | Project Manager | hbh1507@rit.edu |
| Jared | Mechanical Engineering | Documentation/Purchasing | jtm5523@rit.edu |
| Chad | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Lead | caw5317@rit.edu |
| Gina | Mechanical Engineering | Design Lead | gxw6886@rit.edu |
| Kaylie | Biomedical Engineering | Communications/Facilitator | kmm9711@rit.edu |
| Kimberly | Industrial Design | Consultant | |
| Cam | Mechanical Engineering Technology | Fabricator/Welder | cjs6428@rit.edu |
Project Overview:
Public restroom facilities are required to accommodate everyone, most importantly individuals who are challenged with the current bathroom process. Articulating Toilets are used to accommodate individuals who are required to use wheelchairs for daily transportation and have little to no use of their lower body. The toilet itself should provide the user with the ability to use the restroom in a timely and efficient manner. However, some people are still encountering problems while using wheelchair accessible restrooms. Some of these daily problems include not having the means or strength to lift themselves onto the toilet seats, experiencing a difference in height between the toilets and the wheelchair, and not having enough room to clean themselves after use. To alleviate some of the issues users are facing, our team looked to expand on work done by previous MSD teams to create a functional device that fits over existing toilets. The designed device can lift and lower the toilet seat to the height of the wheelchair to ease the transfer process and provide support for users to utilize during the restroom process.
Solution:
A prototype was developed by senior design team in attempt to resolve these problems that makes the bathroom process more feasible for individuals with limited lower body strength. This device uses a hydraulic system to lift and lower the toilet seat to the height of the user wheelchair. The design includes additional safety features and can be easily installed in any public and home restrooms. The final CAD model and prototype of the device is shown in the images below, you can check out our lightening talk video for more information on the build process and features included.
Figure 1: Image of final design CAD Model
Figure 2: Image of Final Prototype
Lightening Talk Videos:
The video featured on this page shows some of the build progress the team has made throughout the year. This video was filmed in March 2021, for the Imagine RIT event.
Lightening Talk Video- Imagine Video
Project Poster and Technical Paper:
Check out our poster and paper below to see additional information regarding some customer requirements, technical aspects of the device, feasibility analysis of design, build progress and results of testing our device.
Other Links:
- P21011 Home - P21011 - RIT Wiki- Team's Wiki Site used to capture progress throughout the year