A monitor for an intravenous pump audio alarm. The client needs to be alerted by a vibrating pager as she is deaf. The pump has no alarm output other than an audio signal. A system has been designed and built that can distinguish the pump alarm in relatively high ambient noise and reject other events such as knocking or tapping on the microphone sensor.
A steel framed bed which was lifted and converted to castors to make it easier for carers to look after the client.
Client with very little mobility, only movement in one hand and in his head, could no longer reach the electric wheelchair hand control on the side of his chair. Remap made a frame to relocate the hand control to his center so that he could reach it, the frame also carried a support for his tablet which was his only way to communicate.
Milton Keynes panel were asked if we could help a client to put on his outdoor coat. He could not move his hands to behind him, which meant putting on a coat in the normal way almost impossible.
A powered device was made which, under the control of the Client, lifts the coat up his back then releases it when the coat collar reaches shoulder height
A powered variable height cot was made for a wheelchair using recent mother. The cot allowed her to bring her baby up to a height where she could change and care for him, and then lower to the floor to form a safe playpen
Milton Keynes panel were contacted by the husband of a lady who was a talented pianist and artist before becoming blind in her late 70’s due to Temporal Arteritis. She had enjoyed playing Sudoku so we were asked if we could produce a set for her to use.
A tactile 6 x 6 Sudoku set was made using wooden cubes with raised pins to indicate numbers, similar to a set of dice, with larger ‘setting’ cubes so that a puzzle could be set up by the Client’s husband
Client with MS, in a reclining chair, likes to paint, read and do jig saws. Current over bed (or chair) tables do not meet her needs.
Remap selected a suitable table to modify, that had the ability to incline and added a rotatable side table extension, held flat even if the main table top was inclined.
A separate larger table top, covered in anti-slip material, was made to easily slip over the main table top which could be easily removed without disturbing a partially finished jig saw.
A 9 year old boy with cerebral palsy uses a recumbent trike to strengthen leg muscles, but he is not strong enough to pedal up hills. The project provides electrical assistance by modifying the trike to add a motor, battery, pedal sensor and control module. This was complicated by the larger wheel required for the motor necessitating relocating the rear brake, fitting a new brake lever with cut out switch and emergency kill switch for the electrics.
The client’s arthritis makes it painful to grasp the small knob on her wheelchair joystick. A larger, more comfortable one was added.
A woman had an above the knee amputation and need a detachable stump support
An 81 y-o woman had a Total Hip Replacement (THR). Since she already had home improvements in place (hand rails on stairs and doors, saddle boards removed, radio button alarm, 24/7 carer) she was released from hospital after four days – the only thing she needed and was given was a Rollator (wheeled walking frame, Zimmer frame). She found that the duvet on her bed restricted her movement, and a duvet support was requested for the period of her recovery. A length of 1/8 inch fencing wire was bent to shape and a brass ferrule with two grub screws was made in order to secure the ends of the wire.
Aids to rehabilitation of upper limb function for intensive care patients.
Therapy, Activities, Skills and Kinesiology (TASK) Boards for University Hospital Southampton
The patient could not use her recliner chair as the footrest came up and aggravated her skin.
I swapped the chair leg rest for a smaller pad made from plywood and foam to support her feet.
The client had difficulty controlling her rollator on sloping ground where it tended to run away with her because she did not have the strength to apply the brakes for extended periods. A light weight rollator with drag brakes was bought and modified to allow the drag brakes to be operated without having to bend down.
A 9 year old boy with cerebral palsy uses a Lecky walker for mobility. As he has grown, the walker is no longer sufficiently stable when he is moving around outside. The project was to angle the large wheels of the walker like a sports wheelchair to increase the track width and improve stability.
Cancer patients with metastatic spinal cord compression and who are largely bed bound, require simple exercises to maintain upper body actions. Two boards were constructed that could be mounted on over bed or conventional tables, and each contained a separate range of activities. Care was taken to ensure the activities and boards were safe and could be easily cleaned. Several features are the same as Project SO29/19.
