Remora: Providing Autonomy for Quadruple Amputees in the Shower
Project Description:
Dave, a quadruple amputee and veteran of the US Army and Coast Guard, currently takes 1 hour to perform his shower routine with the help of his caregiver. Additionally, there are no shower prosthetics on the market to help him bathe autonomously. In partnership with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), engineering students at Johns Hopkins designed the Remora, a waterproof upper-limb prosthetic system that allows for autonomous cleansing in the shower for quadruple amputees. The system features a harness which secures the prosthetic to the user, a loosely fitted arm case that allows water to drain, and detachable terminal ends that allow the user to switch between a hook and a brush depending on the user’s bathing needs.
Project Photo:
The project photo shows a computer model of the shower-safe upper prosthetic system. It is a combination of three components: a harness to secure the prosthetics to the user, an appendage to which other components connect, and terminal attachments such as the hook and brush which adapts to the user’s different needs.
