Project 04 of 04

Telescoping Accessibility Crutch

I led a team that designed a telescoping crutch with a locking mechanism that takes 66% less storage space.

Role: Accessibility Design Project Leader
Dates: Aug 2024 – May 2025
Location: Blacksburg, VA

Less storage space: 66%

Telescoping design

The crutch telescopes and has a locking mechanism, so it takes 66% less storage space. We modeled it in SolidWorks.

Telescoping crutch prototype built from white PVC pipe, held upright in a lab, with a green indicator light lit — Working prototype
One of our rapid prototypes, with the locking indicator lit. I led the team through the design and prototyping.

Accessibility on Campus project poster with sections on design performance, stakeholders, the problem, the solution, limitations and recommendations — The problem
Transporting and storing a crutch is hard for a student injured on campus. The crutch was one part of a larger project that also included a mobile ordering app; I worked only on the crutch.

Organization: Virginia Tech Engineering Education Department
Mechanism: Telescoping, with a lock
CAD: SolidWorks
Prototyping: Rapid prototypes