Making Wheelchairs More Versatile in the Developing World

Guest: Eric Wunderlich, Manager, LDS Charities Wheelchair Initiative; Ryan Larson and Cameron Johnson, Chemical Engineering Capstone Students, Brigham Young University Can you imagine how limited your opportunities would be if you needed a wheelchair to get to work, school, church, the store... but you didn’t have one? The World Health Organization says there are 70 million people in the world who need a wheelchair. Those who live in countries like the US typically have what they need. People in poorer countries, don’t. And if they do have a wheelchair, it’s not well-adapted to getting around on rough terrain, over long distances. A group of engineering students at BYU has come up with a solution, in partnership with the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.