Our project’s goal is to inspire gyms to make working out more accessible by modifying exercise
equipment for a paralympic athlete. While 1 in 4 Americans have a mobility disability, gym
equipment is almost always designed for able-bodied people. We are adapting one half of a
dual-pulley machine to allow our sponsor to demonstrate these issues and push for change
because the components used to alter these machines are often inaccessible. The height
adjuster changes the angle between the weight and the user, allowing them to focus on different
muscle groups, but if a user cannot reach the mechanism, they cannot use the machine, so we
are automating that aspect. The weight stack requires users to move a small pin to a very
specific position, so creating a raised system to make that easier will allow users with hand
dexterity issues to use the machine on their own. We hope these changes will make working out
more accessible for all.