Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do you make and sell these lift devices?
A. No. What you see are one-of-a-kind prototypes. We are amenable to others modifying, improving and building the designs as long as safety is mindfully built into the system.
Q. Safety?
A. Winches can pull with many hundreds of pounds of force so automatic winch cutoff switches are an essential part of any design. Pulley anchor points, ropes and knots can fail. Lifting harnesses can create injury when not used properly. Mains ac power is used in these devices and must be treated with care. Power can fail or you can drop the controller and get stuck suspended in the air. Experienced engineers and makers can build and manufacture safe designs. Designs assuring that diligence, technology applicability, user education and safety are built into the system.
Q. How is Bob doing?
A. Bob’s symptoms began in 2013 and the videos on this website were taken September of 2016. The disease is progressive and Bob will have increasingly little energy to spare over time
Q. I’m not a maker, how do I get devices like these?
A. Skilled Engineers, Makers and Handy-men can make these devices. Find the right people through local universities, Maker clubs, and professional handy-men. Safety through professional-level design, solid manufacturing and proper user education and application are paramount. Wood use was a prominent feature in all of Bob’s designs and fit into his ethic. Woodworking skills are helpful to implement any designs. Skill sets like robotics share a similar kind of knowledge needed to build these.
Q. What if I build something for a friend and he gets hurt using it?
A. …We are asking a local Boulder law firm to help clarify that you use this information at your own risk. And you agree to never sue us if things go bad. And drafting a model legal agreement facilitating the “makeing” of assistive technology equipment and verifying user’s competent usability.
Q. What if I want to start making these for others as a business
A. Talk to us! We aim to make the “making” of assistive technology safe, profitable and legal.
Q. Who sponsors this site?
A. Bob’s ingenuity was ported to this site by these Boulder companies:
Community IP www.community-ip.com
Peter Orlando Productions www.peterorlandoproductions.com
KO Law Firm www.kofirm.com