The Hercules Sled: Accessible Physical Education for All
Fall 2022
Capstone project developed for ENGR 1716: The Art of Hands-On System Design and Engineering
Problem Statement
There is a severe lack of quality Physical Education equipment that accommodates students with a broad range of disabilities.
Existing solutions are often NOT intuitive, durable, or customizable.
This is important because of the possibility for disabled children to lose physical functions when not worked properly and actively.
About 2.8 million children in the United States have a physical disability. These students deserve a robust Physical Education (PE) curriculum that challenges and engages them. They deserve adaptable, versatile, and stimulating equipment. They do not deserve bottom-tier equipment for the sake of avoiding expenses.
Motivation
The Hercules Sled promotes and stimulates various pushing and pulling motions. It is a fun and engaging gym equipment tool used to promote exercise for students with a wide range of physical disabilities.
What does it do?
Who is it for?
The Hercules Sled is for all students with varying physical abilities.
It can even accommodate visually impaired, deaf, and students in wheelchairs.
Outreach
9 student tests
9 expert interviews & 19 survey responses: PTs, OTs, Parents, SLPs, Teachers
Design Criterion
After our interviews we discovered we needed to consider the following factors:
Maneuverability
Durability
Adaptability
Height Adjustment
Fun
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) / American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Safety Standards
Design Evolution
We worked with Ben Brilmyer, a PE teacher at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind Children (WPSBC). Ben and his students aided us in three prototypes. After every test we added more and more adaptable features for the students. We started with pairs of three removable sliders that ranged from smooth to rough surfaces. We them switched to wheels with a resistance system as the sliders posed more of an inconvenience to Ben. A swivel handle was initially used to change directions of the cart. We then decided to switch to a handle that followed an arched channeled path for simplicity in changing directions. We added handle depth as an extra degree of variability. Each iteration of the Hercules Sled was more robust than the last.
Final Design
We were able to meet many of our design goals. Many students can use the Hercules Sled, but more testing is needed to determine if >75% can use it. Lastly, we need to verify it meets CPSC and ASTM Guidelines.
How does it work?
The Hercules Sled features a wide range of factors that make it unique.
Versatile Grip - Different handle configurations for grip preference.
Adjustable Depth - Handle extends outward for a range of variability and push/pull difficulty.
Handle Track - 180 degrees of freedom for the handle. Pins are used to hold handle at specified height for each student.
Shock Bumpers - Act as shock absorption if students crash into walls or obstacles.
Bump Dots - Act as a guidance system for the visually impaired to maneuver around the sled.
The inner sled area can fit multiple kettlebells for an increase in weight, and equipment for many exercises.
LED Lights - Play games like red, light green light. The lights can act as a "Ready, Set, Go!" system and add fun engagement all around.
Resistance System - Amplifies resistance through a linear actuator on an axle to make students work harder when pushing or pulling. It ranges from levels 0-3.
Remote - Controls LED lights and resistance.
Our next iteration would be to add vibration to the handles for more sensory feedback. We also plan to incorporate fun sounds or student's favorite songs that play as they push. We want to increase the strength of the resistance as some students were able to push 200lbs.
Next Steps
Team Members (from left to right): Tyler Hansen, Dawson Winston, Justin Zbikowski, and George Spann