Skid loader modification for a man having C5-spared quadriplegia

A front end skid loader was modified to permit a C5-spared quadripletic man to participate in the activities of a family-owned farm. Two elbow control panels each containing 8 microswitches control the motor on/off and 6 electrical actuators that operate engine speed, brake, forward/reverse drive, bucket tilt and bucket arm raise and lower. A self-contained hydraulic crane and electric winch installed on the roof of the protective cage permits transfer to and from the vehicle by 1 attendant operating a control panel on an umbilical cable while guiding the movement of the sling. A modified parachute harness attached to the vehicle frame provides an adjustable quick release restraint system that holds the driver securely in a bucket seat. After 1 year of use no breakdown of the modifications has been reported. Operating the modified farm vehicle has placed this quadriplegic man on a vocational plane equal to other members of his family and farming community.