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Modified Control Pedal for Sewing Machine
A woman could no longer operate the foot control pedal on her sewing machine due to weakness in her legs. It was established that she would be able to use her stomach to operate the machine by leaning forward. A clamp was made to fit the control pedal to the edge of a table at the correct angle. The pedal was covered with a padded board to make it comfortable for leaning against when operating the controls. A clamping system was made to avoid damage to the table. Ref T0/206
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
Modifications to Toy Car
Parents of a young boy bought him a toy pedal car. The child has a neurological disorder and requires special supportive seating. A conventional child's car seat was fitted and bolted to the car to offer the boy the required support. The sides of the seat were re-shaped so that the seat would sit as low as possible in the car. A false floor was added to support his feet. Although he does not use the steering wheel or pedals, he really enjoys sitting in the car and having someone push him around. All the modifications made to this car are reversible so that it can be passed on to another child in the future. Ref 98/358
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
Tricycle Modifications
A young boy with muscle spasms due to cerebral palsy had recently had surgery to release tight tendons and he needed to ride his tricycle as part of his ongoing therapy. He was unable to ride a conventional tricycle as he could not remain upright and could not keep his feet on the pedals. A combined saddle and trunk support was made from a conventional seat designed for carrying a child on a bicycle. The pommel was made from PVC drain pipe with a tennis ball jammed in the end and foam rubber padding to make it softer. A push-pull stick was fixed to the rear of the tricycle so that the child could be pushed along and stopped from going too fast downhill. Heel cups were purchased to keep the child's feet on the pedals. Ref T1/506
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
BMX Bike
A preschool boy with an above knee amputation on his right leg wanted to ride a BMX bike with outrigger wheels. As he is young the prosthetic leg has no knee joint so he cannot use the pedal on the right side of the bike. A fixed platform was made to support his prosthetic leg while his other leg does the pedalling. A friction pad was fitted on the rear wheel hub to turn the pedals when wheeled. This creates a semi-fixed wheel drive which keeps the left pedal rotating on the upstroke so returning the pedal to the top position. The pedal brake is still operative by pushing back on the pedal. Ref T1/647