Automated BaseBall Bat Swinger
Brandi
was one of many athletes at Operation Trackshoes who was excited about
taking a swing with a baseball bat. Approaching the batting station,
she chatted for a moment with a volunteer, then pressed a lever to send
the ball flying into the air.
Athletes who attended the annual sporting event in June 2009 were the first to use a new Switch-Activated Baseball Bat developed by CanAssist engineers.
CanAssist offered to host the batting station at the event, which is held each year at the University of Victoria for residents of B.C. with intellectual disabilities.
"Everybody had a blast - they thought it was so cool," said Nathanael Kuipers, a CanAssist researcher who was on hand to help participants. "The empowerment they felt when they hit the ball and affected their world was amazing."
The automated batting device includes a metal base on wheels and a clamp that holds a foam baseball bat in place. At the event, a CanAssist team member would cock the spring-loaded bat, which was lined up to hit a ball perched on a T-ball stand. Once ready, participants pushed down with their foot or hand on a pedal that released the bat with a whoosh.
"It was great to offer the opportunity and the athletes really seemed to enjoy it," said Tanya Switucka, another of several CanAssist staff who volunteered at the event. "People whose disability doesn't allow them to hold a baseball bat were able to swing at the ball independently."
The request for the Switch-Activated Baseball Bat came originally from the family of a girl in Vancouver who takes part in a fun league for kids with disabilities.
Darcy Lane, CanAssist's Manager of Hardware, says engineers are working on a new version of the device to deliver to the girl, which will allow users to swing the bat at varying angles and to adjust the tension to so they can specify how far they want the ball to go.
"Our next version will be bigger and people will be able to use it to hit the ball out of the infield," says Darcy.
Operation Trackshoes, in its 39th year, attracts participants of all ages from across the province to participate in the events of their choosing. At the 2009 event, there were more than 500 competitors. The event relies solely on the support of volunteers to assist the participants.
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