About the Assisted Jogger
Exercise is arguably one of the most important aspects to leading a happy and healthy lifestyle. With exercise, one can control weight, fight disease, decrease stress, promote better sleep, and other important factors of our lives. Unfortunately, exercise is not an easy undertaking for everyone to do. Increasing age, preexisting disability or injury, and obesity can all make exercise difficult to do and not enjoyable.
Exercise should be a fun and safe activity for everyone. The Assistive Jogger was an idea started by Dr. Liz Depoy and Dr. Stephen Gilson, Professors of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Maine. Dr. Depoy, along with many other people, needs a device to help stabilize her while jogging. Dr. Gilson and Dr. Depoy set out design a product that could provide the stability of a treadmill, and be portable and usable outdoors. The Assistive Jogger combines aspects of a walker and a bicycle to help stabilize the user and provide means to exercise at a more intense rate. This product could be a major breakthrough to assisting exercise and rehabilitation for many people worldwide.
Exercise should be a fun and safe activity for everyone. The Assistive Jogger was an idea started by Dr. Liz Depoy and Dr. Stephen Gilson, Professors of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies at the University of Maine. Dr. Depoy, along with many other people, needs a device to help stabilize her while jogging. Dr. Gilson and Dr. Depoy set out design a product that could provide the stability of a treadmill, and be portable and usable outdoors. The Assistive Jogger combines aspects of a walker and a bicycle to help stabilize the user and provide means to exercise at a more intense rate. This product could be a major breakthrough to assisting exercise and rehabilitation for many people worldwide.
Future Plans for the Assisted Jogger
The Assistive Jogger is a project
that started several years ago. In
that time, the jogger has had a few different frame designs all with varying
capabilities, along with some issues and flaws. The main objectives for the team this year were to create
functional steering, a collapsible and aesthetic frame, height adjustability,
and incorporate smart features.
Given an old model of the jogger, the plan was to design new steering
and then modify the old frame to include it. Now that the steering is completed, testing will take place
to ensure the modifications are well-designed. While the modifications took place, a new model featuring
collapsibility, height adjustability, and an aesthetically pleasing frame was
designed using SolidWorks. Lastly,
the team wanted to include intelligent features to help the user meet their
exercise or rehabilitation needs.
This intelligence aspect will include a power generating wheel hub to
power lights and electronics, as well as an application for a smartphone or
tablet.
