Projects for the Tetra Society and

March of Dimes DesignAbility

Bathtub Lift

Bathtub Lift

A Mangar Bath Lift powered by a Mangar Air Flow Mk3 compressor was acquired for a low price from For the Needy - Not the Greedy, a great organization that recycles a wide variety of medical equipment and assistive devices to individuals or organizations in need.

Unfortunately, the remote control needed to operate the compressor did not come with the unit. A replacement control could have been ordered from the UK, but the cost including shipping was prohibitive.

A little experimentation was needed to determine how the control worked. Once it was ascertained that the control was basically a SPDT switch, a new remote was made using a handy DPDT switch with centre off.

Remote Control

Homebrew Remote Control for Airflo Compressor

The input connector on the compressor is a 1/8" stereo jack. The remote control was made with a similar 1/8" stereo jack so any audio patch cable could be used between the remote and the compressor. This makes it easy for the client to choose an off-the-shelf cable of an appropriate length if they need a different length than the one I supplied.

Schematics and more information soon

FineLife Yes No buttons

FineLife YES NO Buttons

Shopper’s Drug had a great deal at $19.95 on these talking buttons that say YES and NO in 10 different ways.

Although the buttons were quite sensitive, they were still too much for a spastic quadriplegic infant to manipulate. The project was to make them easier to press.

Disassembling the YES-NO Buttons

4 Phillips screws are hidden beneath the rubber feet

Peel off the rubber feet to reveal the four Phillips screws that hold the buttons together. Carefully pry the top off the button to reveal the circuitry and a soft sponge cylinder that acts as the spring.

Disassembling the YES-NO Buttons

A sponge cylinder acts as the spring for the button.

The sponge cylinder was easily cut with scissors. About half the original height was enough to keep the button stable and reduce the required pressure to activate the switch.

Disassembling the YES-NO Buttons

A sponge cylinder acts as the spring for the button.

The button was then re-assembled and tested. Watch out for the alignment as the screws are not equally spaced. The bottom and top sections need to be in correct alignment.

The rubber feet need to be re-glued to ensure they are not easily removed by an infant. Or, they can be left off to avoid any danger.

Video of the buttons in use coming soon!