Development of Intrac™: A Weight Bearing and Fitness Tracking System for Assistive Devices
Principal Investigator: Vincent Caccese (UMaine, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
Partners: Elizabeth Depoy & Stephen Gilson (UMaine School of Social Work and Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies), Bernadette Kroon (USM Lewiston, Occupational Therapy Programs), & Ryan Beaumont (Mobility Technologies)
Abstract: This project aims to develop, prototype, and test Intrac™, an automated, comprehensive weight bearing, balance and gait tracking device. The project is a collaboration between Mechanical Engineering and Social Work at the University of Maine, Physical Therapy at USM Lewiston and Mobility Technologies, a small Maine business. The Intrac™ will be a platform embedded into several types of assistive devices. It will provide a utility for users that is not available today and a research tool that will enhance efforts toward attracting extramural funds that will be requested to continue this research and development effort. Aims for this grant are: 1) Intrac™ prototyping, 2) usability testing, 3) Beta version of the Intrac™ hardware and software, 4) obtaining full funding for Intrac™ development and 5) development of a rapid commercialization strategy. Intrac™ will be developed initially as a module for use with MOJO, an adaptive modular mobility system already in development at the University of Maine.