Biomedical engineering students from the University of Akron have developed a specially-made fishing pole to help a local boy with cerebral palsy enjoy fishing. Students used 3-D printing and special mounts to create a pole that could be used with the six-year-old’s wheelchair.
Dr. Brian Davis, the chair of the university’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, said projects like these are good practice for students.
“When you graduate with a degree in biomedical engineering, you can’t be guaranteed that every single time the project that you work on is going to be easy," he said. "But if you stick with it, generally, you’ll come up with something that works. I think it’s a life lesson for the students to learn from day one when they get here.”
Davis said all the students volunteered to participate in the project. The team worked with the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board and Akron non-profit The Inclusioneers.
Past projects for University of Akron students include developing bicycles for children with disabilities.
