What is LapPAC

Concept: A lap tray for children who use power wheelchairs for mobility and don’t have the ability to reach their backpacks hanging on the back of the chair.

Goals:
• Reverse learned helpless
• Provide a means of independence
• Provide some privacy
• Provide the ability to have “unapproved” items
• Access to needed school supplies/computer

Focus:
The focus is currently on children with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy. The tray items, form and function have been modified to target this population.

Tray Features:
• Non-traditional shape
• Sliding reading support
• Laptop
• Self rising and closing lid
• Magnetic catches
• Open back for access to pots
• Corner holder to hold computer in place
• Sticky pad to hold computer in place
• Frame to hold screen of laptop to lid
• Self- rising and closing lid
• Inset for recorder
• Holder and loop to get recorder
• Prop to allow to lift cover
• Water bottle holder with loop for access
• Ridge to prevent pencils and other objects from rolling off the tray
• Soft rest for hands and body
• Computer powered by chair’s battery (?)

Materials:
• Acrylic: ¼ to ¾ inches / light and dark blue
o Dark blue for computer compartment
o Light blue for rest of tray
• Blue vinyl for holders, loops and water bottle holder
• Black rubber grip material for ridge of lap tray
• Back door stopper for support for hands and body near tray
• Magnetic latches to hold lid down
• Pneumatic hinge for lift tray lid.

The Process:
1. First talk with the students to see what items they would like access to in their lap tray.
• Received a wide variety of responses:
• 2 Compartment for Classroom tools: school supplies: Pens and pencils, ruler, scissors, compass protractor, utensils
• Paper/notebooks/workbooks
• Laptop with adapted software
• Cell phone with camera (safety): voice activated - power supply
• Game controller (recreation) /Headsets - power supply
• Book holder, (if student lacks the strength to hold book up independently)
• Digital Tape recorder to record lectures and make notes on - voice activated
• Remote control - voice activated
• Water bottle with straw
• Security - fingerprint recognition? Voice activated for compartments - safety concerns

Version 1

Original - Measurements

• chair arms 2in wide can be square or round


• outside to outside - 19in


• Max depth 24in


• 10in to 1in to scoop


• Strap to hold in the chair

First Design Round:
Boomerang shape and tried to envision in corporate as many items as possible.
• Modular side compartments to folder over arm rests
o Modular pockets on side panels possibly cloth
• Try to contain:
o Laptop
o Water bottle
o Cell phone
o Game control
o Recorder
o Books
o Pencils/pens

Version 2

Universal Needs

• ridge to top rolling pencils


• title and swivel plate


• slide for math tools / disk/ruler/etc.


• water bottle

Second Design Round:
Focus on Computer compartment of the tray
• How to stabilize in the tray
• How thick the tray needs to be
• Hold the laptop in place
• Keep bottom down while lifting lid
• Evaluated with students
o Need to think about attaching on legs of wheelchair
o Student A with MS can reach forward and back better than right to left
o Long tray
o Ridge to stop items from rolling off

Version 3

Main Focus in Developing Student A's Tray

• Student A's chair measurements

• The space between the arms is 21 3/4 inches


• the arm pads are 2 1/2 inches wide.


• The right arm is 9" long


• the left one is 13 1/2 inches long.

Third Design Round:
Focus on the needs of Student A with MS.
• Build center module for laptop
• Inset with tray.
• Build frame to hold screen to lid
• Test students’ pressure strength with springs

Version 4

• Modular arm for joy stick


• moveable holder for recorder


• Pulleys to be able to slide water bottle to himself


• Slide against the left vertical edge for him to push against

• Stacking of center section


• pulley and slide to pull water bottle closer


• also release recorder

Fourth Design Round:
Build full mock up of tray with computer laptop
• Inset for recorder
• Slider for water bottle
• Cut out right side for joy stick
• Laptop
o Open up back for cable connections
o Springs to lift computer up
o Magnetic latches for computer lid
o Frame for holding screen to lid
o Stick pad to hold computer bottom down
o Corner edges to hold computer in place
• Video Evaluation


Fifth Design Round:
Based on previous Student A Evaluation hack current laptop design
• Move recorder to left and make long
• Inset water bottle and move the left
• Add loops to pull water bottle and recorder toward self
• Set laptop on slant platform
• Cut off most of right side for joy sticks, chair and computer
• Remove magnetic latches to hold better
• Add book support for reading.

References/Resources

LapTray

• MODU-TRAY
  
• MY DESC
• Tray Attaching Systems

Clamping Systems

• DE-STAY-CO Clamps
• RERC Wheelchair Standards
• Safety Emporium - Clamps and Springs

Latch/Catches

• SouthCo Push/Latches
• Admans Rite Aerospece Push/Latches
• Sugatsune Push/Latches
• Simons Hardware

Modular

• Making Memories Modular Organization
• US Tacital Modular Systems