Another inspirational project by the young to assist the elderly.
Progressive Automations proudly sponsored Team S.C.A.R as they won the grand championship in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Competition this year. Eleven teams participated in the March 2013 robotics event themed around improving the quality of life for the elderly by promoting their independence.
Slips and falls are the most prevalent cause of injuries and fatalities among the elderly, and this becomes the inspiration behind their dresser using automation technology.
The Automated Dresser and Electric Linear Actuators
Team S.C.A.R, made up of seven members all between the ages of 10 and 15, have been working together for over three years. Their project involved designing and creating an automated dresser that prevented the elderly from bending over unnecessarily to grab items from the bottom drawer. Using two PA-03 linear actuators from Progressive Automations, the team installed a switch that, when flipped, opened the drawer and lifted a platform from inside the drawer to a more appropriate height.
The team tried a few different designs before settling on one that performed the best. In an interview with www.statecollege.com, a team member spoke, "It took us a while to figure out how we could actually get the design to work. Our design that we showed at our last [Lego League] competition included two motors, which would be more complicated to build. Now that we're starting to build, we think we found something that will work with just one motor."
The team came away with the grand championship at the event and was invited to participate in the FIRST Robotics World Festival, St. Louis, in April 2013. They prepared for the competition by practicing two or three days every week and constructing presentations for the judges. Although they didn't place in the FIRST Robotics World Festival, they were quick to announce their enjoyment and gave congratulations to all the participating teams.
We congratulate Team S.C.A.R on their championship win and their display of great sportsmanship. We are proud that actuators could be used to help people and make their life easier.
Get Your Own Project Sponsored!
Do you have an innovative project you'd like to get sponsored? We're always looking for new projects that push the limits of technology to a new understanding. If you have presentations or videos, get in contact with us. We want to hear all about it, and we may just provide you with your automation products for free!