We were given the challenge to hack a wheelchair and make it better. Through research, we discovered that lever-powered wheelchairs were proven to be a better physical motion for the user. We also discovered how expensive they were—anywhere from $2,000-$10,000. 

Instead of redesigning the wheelchair, we came up with the idea of a Hand Drive wheelchair attachment that could make lever-powered wheelchairs more accessible to everyday users. Our attachment is almost entirely 3D printable, it’s completely open source, and costs only $40 to make, which is less than 1% of the cost of its competitors on the market. 

The Hand Drive wheelchair attachment can be attached to any wheelchair and allows it to be powered in a rowing motion. This motion is better for your back, as it uses bigger muscle groups, and it keeps your hands cleaner. Because of our price point and the adaptability of the Hand Drive, all wheelchair users now have access to a lever-powered wheelchair.