Project Summary
Exercise is an integral aspect in the weekly schedules of quadriplegic individuals in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimize the impact of muscle spasms. Our solution was developed with the intention of combating health and exercise barriers that quadriplegic individuals face on a regular basis. Unfortunately, there is a large majority of exercise equipment presenting an industrial design barrier, as they are not accessible for all users with disabilities, despite the potential positive impacts the usage of this equipment could have on their well being. For the client who inspired our project, Ryan, he experiences this barrier with regards to the arm bike machine. Our goal was to break this barrier, by providing him with a product which would allow him to use the arm bike machine with ease, in a manner which increases his independence and confidence when visiting athletic facilities.
Introducing the Bike Buddy, a product to empower quadriplegic individuals by enhancing independence with a more secure method of utilizing an arm bike machine. This pair of enhanced cycling gloves allows the user to physically attach their hands to the handles of the arm bike to minimize the assistance required during each workout session. For many individuals, the current solution to this problem is to use tensor bandages to wrap their hands to the arm bike handles. However, this has shown to be ineffective, as the user must constantly ask for help every time the bandages become loose. The Bike Buddy eliminates this dilemma by only requiring assistance from another individual at the beginning and at the end of the exercise session.
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The Bike Buddy encompasses many features to provide the user with an optimized workout experience. The fingerless gloves are composed of a highly elastic lycra fabric to increase the user’s comfort and flexibility during use. The back of the gloves are made of a quick drying mesh fabric to allow for breathability and sweat absorption. The gloves also feature gel pads on the upper palm to improve the user’s grip on the bike handle and to prevent calluses and blisters due to susceptible friction. Two elastic straps have been sewn to the underside of the wrist of the gloves, and once the user has placed their hand on the handle, the straps cross over one another to increase the security of the attachment.
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Putting on the Bike Buddy is a very simple process and follows a series of straightforward steps (more detailed steps with diagrams are provided on the page titled “The Bike Buddy”). Once the gloves have been placed on the user and their hands are positioned properly on the arm bike handle, the straps are to be wrapped around the handle and the user’s hands, and then slid through the opposing slits on the back of the glove. Once the straps are in place, they further secure the user’s hands by attaching to each other using industrial strength velcro on the underside of the wrist. This attachment method keeps the user’s hands in a fixed position throughout the entire duration of their exercise session, and is a very simple process to reverse once the user is ready to end their workout.
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The Bike Buddy is a product which aims to overcome exercise barriers faced by quadriplegic individuals by providing a more independent and secure workout experience. Exercising using an arm bike machine has shown to improve overall health and minimize the frequency and severity of muscle spasms that many quadriplegics experience on a regular basis. However, being unable to grip the arm bike handle effectively due to limited motion, prevents users from having an optimal workout experience. Our goal was to eliminate this barrier by creating a pair of gloves which seamlessly integrates the arm bike handle with the user’s hands.