Carroll County Bike Clinic Friday, October 1 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Town Mall in Westminster 400 N Center Street Westminster, Maryland 21157 Please sign up in advance.
“Meet a VME Alum” – Engineers Using Talents to Help Others Monday, October 24 at 1:00 pm Virtual Facebook Event
“Meet a Long-term VME Volunteer and Supporter” – Engineers Using Talents to Help Others Tuesday, October 25 at 1:00 pm Virtual Facebook Event
“Pre-Game” Warm-up Video before the monthly PRAC Meeting – “Bolts, CADs & Volunteers” – A Walk Down Memory Lane! Wednesday, October 26 at 5:55 pm
Monthly PRAC Meeting Wednesday, October 26 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Check your email 1 week prior to obtain Zoom link
The IMAGE Center of Maryland’s Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME) program is now accepting requests for its annual What I Wish for My Child campaign. The campaign provides custom-made devices for children with developmental or cognitive challenges so they can live and play more independently.
Family members, caregivers, and educators are invited to submit a “wish” for a child between the ages of 2 and 21 with special needs. Once approved, a team of expert volunteers including professional engineers and student engineers from 11 colleges and universities, and medical professionals work together to design and build a custom device, making their wish a reality.
Three families will be selected to participate in the program free of charge. Additional families may be invited to participate for a minimal cost. Projects completed in the What I Wish for My Child campaign qualify for assistance under the Developmental Disabilities Administration’s Low Intensity Support Services (LISS) Program.
“This year, our engineers are looking for a challenge and to build something really unique,” said Mike Bullis, Executive Director of The IMAGE Center. “Our volunteers put their heart and soul into each design to allow kids to enjoy life more fully and with more independence.”
“What I Wish For My Child 2022” YouTube Video
Parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, nurses, and others can apply to participate in the What I Wish for My Child campaign.
Submissions can include requests for devices such as:
Swings
Wheelchair Customizations
Wearable Technology
Desks
Beds
Scooters
Outdoor Recreation Equipment
Electronic Devices
Sports Equipment
Daily/Independent Living Aids
The deadline to submit a request to the campaign is Friday, June 3, 2022. Submissions can be made online at imagemd.org/what-i-wish-for-my-child/. For more information, contact Angela Tyler at (443) 320-4007 or atyler@imagemd.org.
About The IMAGE Center
The IMAGE Center serves all people with disabilities in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Harford County. We are a nonresidential Center for Independent Living, and our staff are primarily people with disabilities living independent lives and teaching these skills to others. Visit imagemd.org to learn more and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Executive Director: Michael Bullis – 501c3 organization – EIN – 27-2774275
About Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME)
Founded in 1982, Volunteers for Medical Engineering is a program of The IMAGE Center that teams up volunteer engineers, student engineers from 12 schools and universities, and medical professionals to find creative, innovative solutions to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities throughout Maryland and soon-to-launch, Washington, DC. The teams design devices that are tailored to meet the unique needs and requests of individual clients by either fabricating them from the ground up or modifying existing devices. Follow VME on Facebook.
Join us for our annual gathering of SOLUTIONS 2022, in-person or live stream, as we celebrate 40 years of excellence and empowerment in service to people with disabilities.
Friday, April 29, 2022 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at The Vollmer Center at Cylburn Arboretum 4915 Greenspring Ave. Baltimore, MD 21209
For additional information email atyler@image.org or call 443-320-4007.
Scan QR code to register.
Support our Solutions 2022 Awardees (pictured above)
(L- R – top row)
VME Founder & Retired Mechanical Engineer – John Staehlin
“Image Peer Mentor of the Year” – Ciara Gentry
“Image VME – Alumnus of the Year” – Alex Levanduski (UMBC – Unique’s Trike pictured)
“Image VME – Project of the Year”-Jacob’s Therapeutic Swing – University of MD Team & VME Alums: Jacob Hogan*; Sabrina Johnson*, Seungbin Kim, Danielle Lawthorn, Ellenor Smethurst*, Mike Zimmerman; Professor: Dr. Vincent Nguyen; Volunteer Engineer: Steve Bailey
(L – R – bottom row)
“Image Community Partner of the Year” – The League for People with Disabilities, Inc.
“Image VME Volunteer of the Year” – Dr. Neil Rothman, Ph.D (Stevenson University)
Also, special recognition to Northrop Grumman – where VME was started in 1982!
(For Northrop Volunteers & employees: A Special Exhibit will be on display in Showcase Corner on April 18th & 19th – thanks to Volunteers Chuck Michaels & Patrick Burns) (*pictured above)
The Engineering to Empower Series is a monthly salute to our school partners and highlights solutions for people with disabilities by engineers & students.
This March, we’re showcasing the Capstones from the United States Naval Academy.
Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME) and The U.S. Naval Academy have maintained a long-standing relationship for a decade. During their senior year, Midshipmen create engineered solutions during a year-long Capstone class.
In this post, you will see a sampling of collaborative projects designed for people with disabilities from over the years.
Elegant engineering! Life-changing solutions!
Special thanks to: Dr. Patrick Caton Dr. Karen Flack LCDR Andria Jones Dr. Peter Joyce Dr. Ethan Lust Dr. Luska Luznik Dr. Samar Malek CDR John Schedel Dr. Joel Schubbe Dr. Sophoria Westmore Additional thanks to our volunteers: Niel Leon, Dan Hedges, John Haug, Mike Rodowski, John Walker & in memory of Dr. Andy Conn
2022 Projects Underway
Andy’s Pill Dispenser
Left: Andy in an Edge wheelchair. Right: Illustration of pill dispenser.
Andy’s Pill Dispenser is an engineered solution for 57-year-old Andy who has cerebral palsy. He lives on his own but has a part-time caregiver who helps him with daily needs. Andy takes four pills per day at different intervals. The pills will be loaded by his caregiver, and then dispensed into a cup through a free-standing, rotating device. Andy has a 6 to 7-inch arm reach with his right hand. The Team will also add a commercial water dispenser that is compatible with his Edge wheelchair.
Sensory Basketball
Sensory Basketball.
Sensory basketball will enable blind and low-vision children to play basketball. Upon bouncing, a sound will be activated alerting the children of the ball’s location. Three-D modeling (from Stereolithographic-SLA printer) is underway for a battery holder which will be inserted and hidden inside the basketball shaft. Future considerations: Bluetooth; microcontroller; accelerometer; speaker. Testing will soon begin at the Maryland School for the Blind.
Spring 2021
Seamus’ Beachchair
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
This specialized, all-terrain beach chair was a combination of work completed by MIDS and VME volunteers. The chair base is from a motorized wheelchair with added machined features plus 16.5” polyurethane balloon wheels – see pics – design progression.
Spring 2019
Brennon’s Therapeutic Swing
Awarded VME Project of the Year in 2020
The Team gets to work.
Brennon enjoys his glider.
One of life’s pleasures for ten-year-old Brennon is swinging and rocking. Brennon has multiple disabilities causing developmental delays and seizures. Performance, reliability, durability, serviceability, and safety were the main customer requirements. After testing and research, the Team decided to use a trapezoid-shaped, aluminum structure with steel bars. Using a custom ramp, Brennon is able to be wheeled onto the glider-like apparatus. His wheelchair is locked in place for a smooth ride.
Spring 2016
Nacole’s Shower Transfer
Nacole’s Original Bathtub.
The Design.
Hydraulic Piston Rigging with Bolt.
The Team with Nacole and the completed project.
Nacole lives alone. A part-time caregiver assists several times a week. Nacole wanted to be able to transfer from her wheelchair to the tub independently. She has cerebral palsy and after surgery, her legs became almost at a rigid, 90-degree angle. The solution: a hydraulic lifting and tilting “barber chair” which aligned with the height of her wheelchair for easy initial transfer. The 8020 frame is made of four sets of legs connected to two parallel bars; the wheels are nylon PA Glass Fiber.
Spring 2014
Colby’s Trike
Colby on his toddler trike with his Mom.
Machined for pulley system.
Getting ready to ride!
Colby loves his new trike!
From a toddler trike to a big-boy trike, eight-year-old Colby was able to enjoy riding in his neighborhood. Colby is on the autism spectrum. The MIDS used a 20” trike with a custom-designed brake and pulley system to allow mom to push and steer from the rear.
Spring 2013
Kevin’s Transport
The design for Kevin’s bike.
View of Steering System.
Kevin is ready to roll.
The Team with Kevin.
Kevin’s family longed for him to ride in the neighborhood like other teens. Seventeen-year-old Kevin experienced cerebral palsy and other developmental delays, but was able to grip handlebars. The goal was to provide increased motor function through pedaling a recumbent bike with a 26” rear handlebar – steering and braking system. The design also included a 4-point harness to keep him strapped in. Kevin was on the move!
Spring 2013
Abdurrahman’s Customized Walker
Abdurrahman is ready for his walker.
The completed product.
Abdurrahman is ready to go!
Two-year-old Abdurrahman experiences a rare genetic disorder causing developmental delays. At 30 inches tall and weighing 19 pounds, the family requested an indoor solution to help him to strengthen his legs to walk. He presented with good upper body strength and excellent eye/hand coordination. A custom walker was designed from PVC & aluminum tubing built on castors wheels with a gymnastics belt for support. With coaching, Abdurrahman was able to move on his own.
Frustrated with Baltimore City sidewalks? Unable to travel by your wheelchair through Baltimore because the sidewalks are not accessible? During this Independence Amplified Maryland, we speak with Disability Rights Maryland about accessibility in your neighborhood.
Recording of the Independence Amplified Maryland event from January 24, 2022.
Don’t forget to visit our registration website to donate to support these events or register for upcoming calls!
