The advancement of custom and specialized seating technology is recognized as a priority for medical and rehabilitation research. This research is aimed at enhancing the mobility and other functions of individuals with physical disabilities. This work is a feasibility study for an innovative manufacturing process for contoured cushions that will replace existing carving and molding processes with a more efficient, economic and faster process. A reusable die shape will be developed for a molding process; this process will be similar to that used for fabricating custom molded seating systems. It is desirable to eliminate the use of permanent molds in that process because it is time consuming, expensive, requires skilled personnel and produces substantial waste. The key element of the new process is a computer-controlled surface to replace the molds. The project's objective is to evaluate various design alternatives by building models of key system components and evaluating their performance.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research: This development project will result in a system for molding custom cushions that is more efficient, less wasteful, and less costly. The reduced demands on manufacturing facilities will allow for on-site fabrication of cushions; on-site fabrication will allow for increased participation by the consumer in the prescription process.National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
