1. Stand Alone Group Members: Jaime Alvarez Austin Chamberlain Trey Smith Jung Hoon Kim

2. Executive Summary Elderly or disabled individuals living alone may fall and need assistance in lifting themselves due to problems such as weak leg muscles. A need exists for a device which will aid these individuals in standing up without the aid of another person. The device should be simple to operate, affordable, and most preferably covered by typical health insurance carriers.

3. Problem Statement Create a device to aid the disabled raising themselves to standing height without human assistance from floor level

4. Solution: Stand Alone Device Fixed and stable Easily Accessible Unobstructed entrance Simple Mechanism

5. Design Background and Possible Features Forklift style chain lift located at the back of the seat for maximum accessibility and lowest reach Movable armrests for easy seat access Spring seat movement to aid the user in exiting the lift. Automatic default floor location Simple easy access seat Sufficient handlebars and supports to enter the seat Possible remote operation for those who cannot reach the device. Possible back-up battery power

6. Approach Conduct thorough problem analysis to yield the best solution through the following:  Conduct research on nature and severity of falls  Consult physical therapist for further information on falls  Analyze feasibility of device for various types of falls and varying physical condition of individuals  Use BME knowledge to find the solution best suited for the human user  Use ME & EE expertise to design and build the final design yielded from investigation and analysis

7. Expectations Create a final design and specifications for a prototype Construct a stable usable prototype for testing and presentation purposes Research expenses and demands for mass production feasibility Conduct project in a financially efficient manner

8. Timeframe Meetings Tues and Thurs with Biweekly reports and advisor meetings Online Updates at http://vubme.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/srdesign/2002/group14/http://vubme.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/srdesign/2002/group14/ January Decide on a final design for our device and begin analyzing the design using mechanical, electrical, and biomedical engineering principles. February Begin modeling the device using demonstrative tools. Assess any design concerns or ideas for improvement. Apply concepts learned from our senior design course to our project such as design for failure, safety issues, biomaterials selection, FDA concerns, etc. March Perform pertinent tests on our design to find weakness or flaw in the design in order to refine and improve the device. Minimize or eliminate any errors in our design. Begin preparing our final design for presentation. April Complete work on final presentation & prototype. Consider improvements. Gather information about the feasibility and liability of our design.

9. Team Qualifications Jaime Alvarez – ME, Experience with Robotics and Formula SAE participant Austin Chamberlain – BME Trey Smith – BME Jung Hoon Kim - BME, EE, Electrical Engineering expertise for possible use in device control system and operation

10. Resources BME lab workshop Machine Shop Approximately $500

11. Advisers & Consultants Dr. Paul H. King- Professor of Biomedical Engineering Jason Roberts- State of Tennessee's Employment Security Professor Donald Kinser – ME Professor