team photo
no video icon

This video contains proprietary information and cannot be shared publicly at this time.

Figure 1
project photo


Team 51

Team Members

Faculty Advisor

AiYi Young
Nicolas Whelan
Jonathan Cumento

Dr. Jorge Paricio Garcia

Sponsor

UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

sponsored by
sponsor logo

Development of an Affordable Wheelchair Ramp with Emphasis on Recycled Materials

UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) has collaborated with the Mechanical Engineering Department to develop and prototype an accessibility ramp that focuses on modularity, affordability, and sustainability using recycled materials, all while ensuring compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. This innovative ramp is tailored to assist individuals with health conditions or impairments, providing access to elevated surfaces with specific criteria. Our design comprises of two primary components: the run section and the landing section. The run section is completely composed of modular parts which are: run beams, aluminum channels, under-structure beams, and warren truss handrails. Similarly, the landing section also consist of modular parts which are: landing beams, aluminum square frame, warren truss handrails, and under-structure beams. The design predominantly utilizes Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET 1) supplemented with recycled aluminum in key components such as the starting ramp incline, legs, inverted t-insert, aluminum channels, and aluminum square frame. All of our modular parts are less than thirty pounds and made from recyclable materials. Ease of assembly is prioritized in our design, eliminating the necessity for professional installation which further highlights the design's affordability and accessibility.