This text is part of the special Private Education notebook
In Trois-Rivières, students from the Keranna Secondary Institute were given the mission of improving the mobility of Alain Gaudet, a man whose new wheelchair was no longer compatible with the use of his robotic arm.
Students from the 3rd gradee at 5e year at Keranna Secondary School in Trois-Rivières, designed a support for the robotic arm of Alain Gaudet, a Trois-Rivières resident who has been living with type III spinal muscular atrophy since birth. Since he changed chairs, he had been unable to get through doors with his robotic arm, which hindered his mobility. After waiting for a solution for nearly a year, he turned to Michael Simard, a friend, CEO of ARTIK Technologies and judge at the FIRST regional robotics competition in which students from the Institute’s robotics team, Ultime 5528, participated. In total, nearly twenty students participated in the process of creating the support for Alain Gaudet’s robotic arm as part of the competition. This experience allowed the students to apply their scientific knowledge, while contributing to Mr. Gaudet’s mobility.
Technical learning
What was particularly interesting for the students, explains Sonia Carier, science and technology teacher at the Keranna Institute, “was going directly to the customer [M. Gaudet] and to carry out all the engineering steps that an adult can do in his company.” It was also the first time that they had the opportunity to be entrusted with such a mission and to be able to work in a real situation.
The students visited Alain Gaudet several times, took measurements and assessed his needs, in order to develop the designs needed to make the stand. To do this, they first made different parts, while choosing the right materials to ensure Mr. Gaudet’s safety. It was necessary to ensure their rigidity and solidity, but also to ensure that they were neither sharp nor too heavy. Alain Gaudet’s state of health imposed specific requirements that the students had to take into consideration, underlines Mr.me Carrier.
The robotics team learned a lot throughout the project, including discussing parameters with an engineer who supported them throughout the process. The prototype was then tested at Mr. Gaudet’s house before being refined and installed. The students ultimately succeeded in creating a support that allowed him to not have to remove his robotic arm when moving around, “all [a] “It was well thought out,” says Sonia Carier. “The young people were extremely proud” to have participated in the development of the support from start to finish.
Beyond Robotics
Alain Gaudet immediately sensed a great deal of interest from the students. He was struck by their ability to question themselves and deal with the technical requirements of the situation. Voice control, automated doors… the visits to Mr. Gaudet were also a source of discovery for the students, who thus had the opportunity to observe with curiosity new equipment, he explains.
Tired of the lack of a solution to his problem after a year of waiting, he says he has found a glimmer of hope thanks to the outcome of this project and this interaction with the young people. “What they did, even if it was small for them, really made a difference in my life,” he says. He is also pleased to see that the young people are ready to “help [ceux] who really need it.”
Sonia Carier believes that the project has helped to raise awareness. She believes that beyond the competition, being able to “change Mr. Gaudet’s daily life” and being in contact with the reality of a person with reduced mobility has left its mark on her students.
Alain Gaudet also believes that “the individual [présentant un] specific need, whether it is [en situation de] “Disability or not, can be part of school education” and help to convey values of solidarity and collaboration within the community. Such initiatives can truly help to raise awareness among the general public about the realities of people with reduced mobility, he continues.
Although he can no longer use the robotic arm due to a manufacturer problem, the support designed by the students is still useful to him and will continue to be useful in the future. Sonia Carier also says that they will meet with him again this fall to reassess the situation together.
This content was produced by the Special Publications Team of Dutyrelevant to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part in it.