Student designs adaptive foot pedal for children's bicycles

When Ruth Salazar enrolled in a University of Arizona Health Sciences course about design thinking, she saw an opportunity to make a difference. The BME student and former physical therapist wanted to help people with motor impairments by designing a switch-adapted ceiling fan control. 

The course instructor, Matthew Briggs, an assistant professor of practice in the Health Sciences Design program and College of Engineering, encouraged her to first solicit feedback directly from a local organization to better shape her project. Following his advice, Salazar connected with Children’s Clinics for Rehabilitative Services, where she previously worked. They proposed a different challenge: create affordable bicycle pedal adapters to help children with complex medical diagnoses keep their feet secure while riding adaptive bicycles.

With Briggs’ encouragement and guidance, Salazar scrapped her initial idea and began developing 3D-printed pedal adapters, refining the design through multiple iterations to meet the clinic’s needs.

“I was overdoing it at the beginning,” Salazar said. “Professor Briggs said, ‘You can make this simpler.’ I took his feedback, added elements from other adaptive equipment, and it became a beautiful project.”

Salazar’s story reflects the transformative learning environment fostered by Briggs. His expertise in design and passion for hands-on education empower students to tackle real-world health challenges through innovative design.

“I got a text from one of the therapists, saying that the toddler adapter worked wonderfully for a kid who had never been able to use the bike because the pedals didn’t fit him,” Salazar said. “It was very special, knowing I created something that helped someone enjoy a part of their life they hadn’t before.”