Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
09:46
Training Persons with Spinal Cord Injury to Ambulate Using a Powered Exoskeleton
Published on: June 16, 2016
Motorcycling freedom: a paraplegics dream
Australasian Physical & Engineering Sciences in Medicine
|April 21, 2006
Summary
A specially modified motorcycle was designed for paraplegic riders, enabling them to safely operate a motorcycle. This innovation promotes independence and inclusion in recreational activities for individuals with disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Individuals with disabilities have rights to participate in life decisions, but physical limitations can hinder this.
- A mechanical engineering student was inspired to design a solution after meeting a paraplegic man who wished to ride a motorcycle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and build a motorcycle modified for safe and comfortable operation by a paraplegic individual.
- To enhance independence and inclusion for people with disabilities in recreational activities.
Main Methods:
- Development of a prototype motorcycle with specific modifications.
- Inclusion of a thumb-controlled pneumatic gear shifter.
- Integration of a single-lever system for front and rear brakes.
- Addition of ergonomic leg supports and an automatic low-speed stabilization system.
Main Results:
- A functional prototype motorcycle was successfully designed and built.
- The modifications enable paraplegic individuals to operate the motorcycle.
- The design addresses the physical challenges faced by paraplegic riders.
Conclusions:
- The modified motorcycle facilitates the inclusion of paraplegic individuals in motorcycling.
- This innovation promotes normalization, independence, and freedom for individuals with disabilities.
- The project enabled a paraplegic individual to achieve his dream of riding a motorcycle.
More Related Videos
10:14Motor Imagery Performance Through Embodied Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality-Enabled Brain-Computer Interface Environment
Published on: May 10, 2024
08:40Quantifying Arms and Legs Contributions during Repetitive Electrically-Assisted Sit-To-Stand Exercise in Paraplegics: A Pilot Study
Published on: November 11, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:26Spinal Cord
The spinal cord, a critical component of the central nervous system, extends from the base of the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. It is essential for maintaining physical stability and facilitating communication between the brain and peripheral parts of the body.
01:14Spinal Cord Injury ll: Pathophysiology
Spinal cord injury progresses through two interconnected phases: primary injury and secondary injury.Primary InjuryPrimary injury happens at the moment of trauma and involves immediate mechanical damage to the spinal cord.Compression happens when broken vertebrae, herniated discs, or accumulating blood (such as a hematoma) press directly against the spinal cord, distorting its normal shape and function. In cases of contusion, the cord is bruised by a blunt force (like penetrating injuries or...
01:54The Spinal Cord
The spinal cord is the body’s major nerve tract of the central nervous system, communicating afferent sensory information from the periphery to the brain and efferent motor information from the brain to the body. The human spinal cord extends from the hole at the base of the skull, or foramen magnum, to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra.
01:20Motor Unit Stimulation
When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
01:13Motor Units
The motor unit is a fundamental component of the neuromuscular system and plays a crucial role in coordinating muscle contractions. It consists of a somatic motor neuron, which connects and controls multiple skeletal muscle fibers, forming a single functional segment. The axon of the motor neuron branches out and establishes synaptic connections known as neuromuscular junctions with individual muscle fibers within the motor unit.
Motor units come in different sizes, with smaller units...
Motor units come in different sizes, with smaller units...
00:46Motor Units
A motor unit consists of two main components: a single efferent motor neuron (i.e., a neuron that carries impulses away from the central nervous system) and all of the muscle fibers it innervates. The motor neuron may innervate multiple muscle fibers, which are single cells, but only one motor neuron innervates a single muscle fiber.