Replacement Composite Panels for a Wheelchair
While it might not look like much, inside this composite panel are two layers of foam separated by a carbon fiber layer. The current design for a new walking wheelchair presented to the team consists of heavy, chromoly steel trusses which need to be replaced with a lighter and more structurally sound alternative. Charlie Gutierrez believes that the solution to this design criteria lies within the use of composites, to create a new design replacing the three trusses with two simple panels. By doing so, it would be easier for the user to sit, stand, and walk using the new Dynawalk Wheelchair.