Do you remember Power Wheels? Being a child of the 1980's, I remember seeing those commercials and being insanely jealous of the kids riding around in a car. Like an ADULT. I mean, look at this!
How could you not want one?
Apparently, they're still around, and a high school robotics team decided to take one to the next level (but not in a "make it go 60mph and jump over flaming tires" way). Meet Cillian Jackson, a 2-year-old in Minnesota who, due to genetic wonkiness, is unable to walk. He had been primarily carried by his parents or pushed in a stroller, but that left him with minimal control over his movement. There were options for motorized wheelchairs, but they were out of his parents' budget. However, they had another idea.
Inspired by a group called Go Baby Go, Cillian's parents approached the local high school with a Power Wheel and a proposal - can you make this into something Cillian can use to get around?
The answer, of course, was yes. By dint of hard work and serious hacking skills(z), the team hacked the Power Wheel to make it easier to use and hold Cillian in place securely. This involved re-wiring, installing new pieces, and writing code to change the steering mechanics.
The result? A child able to move about freely and explore, and a group of high school students who get first-hand experience in seeing their skills make the world a better place in a real, tangible way. Sounds like a pretty solid project to me!
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