Current Projects
Pallet Transport Team
One of the services at the Wabash Center involves placing rivets in shims for use in semi trailers. The finished shims are placed on a pallet and moved to the loading dock when full. However, moving the skids is cumbersome and inconvenient. Currently, a forklift is used to move the platforms through the working area, causing possible safety concerns for the customers.
The solution to this problem is a large, industrial-strength cart with a wood frame. During the Fall 2016 semester, the pallet team worked on redesigning the cart so that it is a sturdier pallet with a detachable pallet jack. The project is approaching the delivery and testing phase. This project has been in progress since Fall 2016, in an attempt to better meet the needs of our partners.
Cornhole Project
The customers of the Wabash Day Center enjoy many social activities, including outdoor picnics with games such as corn hole. Unfortunately, some customers are unable to participate due to physical disabilities.
The goal of the Cornhole Teams is to allow those with physical disabilities to use a device to play cornhole that allows them to have precise control over their throws. The ideal finished product will allow the users to electrically determine the strength of the launcher, and also launch the cornhole bag electronically. The barrel and piston will be added very soon.
Adult Day Services Team
The Wabash Center Adult Day Services center is an integral part of the facility, where adults with disabilities can enjoy activities and learn important life skills.
The Adult Day Services Team started work during the Spring 2016 semester. Their goal is to build an activity board to set up in the activity room at the center to entertain the clients and facilitate sensory therapy. The activity board will include sensory materials such as fabrics and beads, and other sensory activities. The team has made progress in the Spring 2017 semester by creating a first basic prototype which is based on a main board on which interchangeable sub-boards can be placed. These sub-boards are themed individual units which can be used inside classrooms if necessary. Both the main board and the sub-boards will have sensory materials. The team is currently using a holder and clamp based machanism to hold the sub-boards onto the main board. Future plans include figuring out the best clamps to use for board attachment and deciding on sub-board themes and arrangements, and also creating a more portable version for easier use.
Virtual Reality(VR) SandBox
The Wabash Center Adult Day Services center is an integral part of the facility, where adults with disabilities can enjoy activities and learn important life skills.
The VR Sandbox is a platform that integrates physical interaction with sand, overlays a terrain map on the medium, and simulates rain water through the topography. The VR Sandbox uses a Kinect (3D sensor), projector, and a sand box to create the system. The VR sandbox generates a more immersive and stimulating experience using auditory, kinesthetic, and visual interaction generating a deeper cognitive experience. This allows adult learners to have more forms of stimulation through a single object. The VR sandbox installation is expandable, through software, to generate games to further enhance cognitive development and stimulation.
