STEAM Center Partners with ManeGait to Restore Therapy Tool
The STEAM Center recently partnered with ManeGait, a local nonprofit that provides brain-building therapy to individuals with disabilities, veterans, and first responders, to restore a vital therapy tool known as the astronaut board.
Two years ago, representatives from ManeGait reached out to the STEAM Center with a request. Their existing astronaut board, a piece of equipment used to stimulate the vestibular system, which controls balance and spatial orientation, had begun to deteriorate after years of use.
“Their astronaut board was falling apart. It had been built years and years ago by some students over at the high school, but with many, many years of wear and tear, it was wearing out,” said Larry Labue, executive director of school leadership and support. “They are a non-profit organization, and they were looking to see if we wanted to partner with them to build them a new astronaut board.”
With access to a fully equipped maker space, Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher Graham Gadd led the design process with the help of a student. “We designed it. We brought them in. We showed that we created the toolpaths and we cut out the large wheels for them,” said Graham.
Students took the lead on design improvements as well. “We worked together with designing the new bearing solution to make it be a lot finer,” said one student. “And then we also did the final steps of adding the handles on, and then getting the foam cut and put on there.”
When the final product was complete, ManeGait representatives returned to the STEAM Center to pick up the new astronaut board.
“This is a big deal, so we thank you guys. We thank all of you guys,” said Kristen Haterius, ManeGait’s Gaitway Program Director.
View a video about the astronaut bed below: