Final project report: MAE 4344 Interdisciplinary Design Projects

Abstract

This project, Go Baby Go, is a non-copy written program that provides modified ride-on power wheel cars to pediatric individuals with disabilities. There exists a connection for many children between self-directed mobility and cognitive development. This connection to mental developments may be extended to children with impairments. For children with impairments, opportunity for independent locomotion may be greatly limited to the point of dependence on a caregiver, which can lead to delays in the development of spatial-cognitive skills. The cars produced through the Go Baby Go program offer an alternative solution to the mass produced options that carry price tags ranging from $5,000 to $30,000. The Oklahoma program was proposed and is funded by Oklahoma ABLE Tech, which is a statewide Assistive Technology Act Program. This thesis reviews the efforts made to research the challenge, design a solution, and implement the solution chosen to provide low-cost alternatives to two families with children with disabilities.