THE HINDU article about our project - STEP CLIMBER

CET students fashion stair-climbing device

Can be used in factory floor, for surveillance and to make wheelchairs climb stairs

Making a wheelchair climb a flight of stairs to driving an all-terrain vehicle that can be used for space exploration, according to a group of four final year students of B.Tech. mechanical engineering at the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, is the scope of the stair-climbing device they have fashioned as their final year project.

According to information made available by the students, the mechanism was conceived after a study of similar devices now available. The mechanism climbs stairs with the help of two star shaped, three-armed `legs' in front.

The whole device is powered by a motor fitted to two rubber wheels in the rear. The front link is coupled with another motor that helps it rotate about its central axis and thus aids in the climbing process. The two drives are transmitted by chains. The entire mechanism is mounted on a frame made by welding hollow cast iron square sections.

Although the prototype developed by A.J. Aravind Jithin, Chintoo S. Kumar, Krishnajith Jayamani and R. Ramakrishnan is designed for light loads, a commercial version fitted with powerful motors can take heavy loads.

Moreover, the design is such that the link length can be adjusted to suit stairs with heights ranging from four inches to 10 inches. This, according to a note prepared by the students, will make this device particularly useful in hospitals where wheel chairs can be fitted on to it. With suitable modifications the device can also be used in a factory floor and for purposes of surveillance.

The prototype took shape at various small-scale workshops in and around Thiruvananthapuram. Its components are easily available. This widens the scope for large-scale manufacture of this compact device, which can climb stairs very fast, the note reads. The prototype was built at a cost of Rs.11,000.

During full-scale commercial production the price can be brought down.

The students were assisted in their venture by Assistant Professor at the Department A. S. Karthika, V. K. Chithrakumar of the SCT College of Engineering and by Shyam of the Mary Matha College of Engineering, the note adds.

G. Mahadevan