4-27-2021 3:09pm

Stateline Robotics Team 4655 Helps Customize a Motorized Cart for Grade School Student with Cerebral Palsy

Michael McGinnis Editor

Stateline Robotics created a modified "Wild Thing" motorized chair in 2019 for a boy with cerebral palsy. Photo: FirstInspires

For Immediate Release

07/27/2019

Rockton, IL. (July 27th, 2019) – Stateline Robotics Team 4655 has proven that FIRST Robotics is really more than just robots. The students and mentors recently completed a project for Jack, a local grade school student with cerebral palsy, that gives him the ability to be independently mobile for the first time.

Jack’s condition affects muscle tone, posture and body movement. His family received a grant for the Power Wheels Wild Thing motorized chair. However, it was not made for a child with cerebral palsy and needed some work. The family reached out to Stateline Robotics and asked for help.

The team started talking with the family and meeting with Jack to make-over his new "car". After months of meetings, planning, rewiring, reprogramming, changing the seat, adding a new joystick and other improvements for Jack the team gave him his customized car on Wednesday, July 24th. The excitement in Jack and his family is infectious With practice he will be able to do so many things that seemed out of reach for so long.

Jack’s mom has said "The students may never know the real impact they are having on him (Jack) because it seems so simple. But they should know they are changing his life."

Stateline Robotics is also working on instructions for how to make all of these changes. The instructions will include pictures, videos and a parts list with prices. They plan to share this with other robotics teams around the world. The team is holding a press conference with the family on Monday, July 29, 2019 1 pm at Hononegah. Please come learn more about Jack and his family, the Stateline Robotics Team 4655, and how this great project can help others around the world.