2008 Winners

Brake-Well Wheelchair Braking System
This system is essentially a second set of brakes for wheelchairs. Initially it was designed to give independence to a wheelchair user by converting the wheelchair to a walker. With the Brake-Well Wheelchair Braking System, the disabled, and those who help them, have an additional benefit; they don’t have to worry about traveling on inclines or the need to make sudden stops.

Creative Mobility, Project Mobility and Versa Trike
Thousands of disabled children and adults experience the freedom of mobility and the joy of cycling through the efforts of Creative Mobility. Experience and knowledge of the various physical limitations of people with disabilities led Creative Mobility to develop Versa Trike, a three-wheeled, adaptive bike for people with limited mobility. Project Mobility, a nonprofit organization, travels throughout the United States providing adaptive cycling camps for children, adults, disabled veterans, and the newly injured soldiers from Iraq.

Ford SYNC™
Ford SYNC offers a voice-recognition interface to receive calls, send and receive text messages and control a variety of media players in your automobile. This mechanism can control both Bluetooth enabled cell phones and Bluetooth or USB digital media devices in a safe, hands-free manner.

i-LIMB Hand
Touch Bionics has created the world’s first commercially available bionic hand with five individually powered digits. The i-LIMB Hand is a device for upper-limb amputees that utilizes leading edge electronic and mechanical engineering technology to look and act like a real human hand.

KeyboardCommunicator
Afforda Speech has created the first swappable keyboard Speech Generating Device. Individuals with verbal communication difficulties who also need external specialized keyboards (e.g. large-print, large button, low-force keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, one-hand keyboards, etc.) can now have a portable text-to-speech solution without needing a desktop or notebook computer.

NimbleTools
Developed by Nimble Assessment Systems, Inc., NimbleTools is a universally designed test delivery interface that increases access to test content for students with disabilities and special needs. NimbleTools employs a single test delivery interface that flexibly tailors the accessibility tools that are available for each student based on his or her individual need. NimbleTools assures access for students with physical disabilities who use any one of a variety of assistive/adaptive communication devices (e.g., switch mechanisms, sip-and-puff devices, Intellikeys, alternate mice, touch screens, etc.). NimbleTools also ensures that the reading and signing of content is provided in a high-quality, equitable manner to students across a testing program.

Pushrim Activated Power Assisted Wheelchair (PAPAW)
Created and manufactured by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, the PAPAW (Quickie Xtender) is a wheelchair option for those who have upper extremity joint degeneration, reduced exercise capacity, low strength or endurance issues. The compact, lightweight PAPAW is very maneuverable and reduces the amount of fatigue while increasing the range of mobility for its user. PAPAW is sold by Sunrise Medical, Inc. To learn more about PAPAW, visit the Sunrise Medical Site and enter "Quickie Xtender" in the Product Search field.


2008 special da Vinci Award® recipients

The da Vinci Founder’s Award
Sarah Reinertsen is the first female amputee to complete the Ironman® Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii in 2005. Sarah was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a bone-growth disorder, which eventually led to her becoming an above-the-knee amputee at the age of seven. Sarah’s courage and determination is an inspiration to all. She has blazed a new trail of opportunity and redefined expectations for others around the world. Sarah’s motto is “Fear Less. Live More.” She is an athlete, motivational speaker, role model and an advocate for change.

The da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Jeffery D. Kocsis received his Ph.D. in 1970 from Wayne State University and has a long history of research and publications on approaches for protecting and repairing nerve functions in multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Kocsis’ work is still in the research stage and holds considerable optimism that someday soon the results will be translated into new treatment strategies for people with MS.

The Spirit of da Vinci Award
Professor Hugh Herr lost both legs below the knee at age 17 in a climbing accident and went on to develop an interest in the invention of biohybrid, or “smart” prosthetics for the disabled. He is currently the director of The Biomechatronics research group in the Media Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Herr has received numerous awards for his work, including Time Magazine’s Best Invention of the Year in 2004 and the Popular Mechanics’ Breakthrough Leadership Award in 2005.

2007 Winners

2006 Winners

2005 Winners

  • Nerve Transfers for Improved Artificial Limb Function – Neural Engineering Center for Artificial Limbs, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
  • CoreControl™ – AVAcore Technologies, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Hardy Elementary School – Office of Special Education, South Lyon Community Schools, South Lyon, MI
  • HP Developer & Solution Partner Program (DSPP) – Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA
  • Versluis Park – Parks & Recreation Department. Plainfield Charter Township, MI
  • FreedomBox™ – Serotek Corporation, Minneapolis, MN
  • Dudley S. Childress, Ph.D. – (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Stevie Wonder – (Founder's Award)
  • Snoopi Botten – (Spirit of da Vinci Award)

2004 Winners

  • James R. Harding II Ed. D. – Tallahassee, Florida (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Erin Brady Worsham – Nashville, Tennessee (Spirit of da Vinci Award)
  • The Application of Selective Laser Sintering Techniques to Improve the Functional Mobility for Those with Lower-Limb Disabilities – Professor Richard R. Neptune, The University of Texas, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
  • All Kids Playground – National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Detroit Section, Michigan
  • HomeSaver1 Stove Sensor – Lee Eisinger, Ohio
  • A Universally Accessible Treehouse at Crotched Mountain – Forever Young Treehouses, Inc., Vermont
  • BoardSpeaker – Afforda Speech, Canada
  • Bruno Lift-Up Power Mobility Seat – Bruno Independent Living Aids, Inc., Wisconsin
  • IBM's Web Adaptation Device – IBM Accessibility Center, California
  • IKAN Bowler – MGT Corporation, Florida
  • Sanyog: A Multilingual Iconic Communication System for Children with Severe Speech and Multiple Disorders – Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
  • IBM's Web Adaptation Device – IBM Accessibility Center, California
  • Wheelchair Backpack Holder and Retriever – Chandler Macocha, Michigan

2003 Winners

  • Ralf Hotchkiss – Technical Director, Whirlwind Wheelchair International (Spirit of da Vinci Award)
  • Tony Filippis, Sr. – Founder & Chairman of the Board, Wright & Filippis (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • Caretel Inns in St. Joseph, Michigan – Caretel Inns of America (Facility)
  • Disney's Handheld Captioning – Walt Disney World Company (Product-Assistive Technology)
  • Men in Black Alien Attack – Universal Parks and Resorts (Product-Assistive Technology)
  • Miracle Mouse – Maui Innovative Peripherals, Inc. (Product-Information Technology)
  • orbiTouch Keyless Keyboard – Keybowl, Inc. (Product-Information Technology)
  • University of Michigan ProCEED Program – University of Michigan (Applied Research)

2002 Winners

  • Dean Kamen – Founder, Deka Research & Development Corp. (Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • HiSoftware Company (Product-Information Technology)
  • The Cyberlink Controller – Brain Actuated Technologies (Product – Assistive Technology)
  • The Uro Cycler – Uro Solutions, Inc. (Product-Assistive Technology)
  • Power Lift Gate – Delphi Corporation (Product-Vehicular Mobility)
  • AteeA33 Single-Rider Golf Cart – Solorider Industries, Inc. (Product-Vehicular Mobility)
  • Lift Aid 2000™ – Lift Aid (Product – Personal Mobility)
  • Cross Trainers Fitness Forum – Action Wood Technologies, Inc. (Facility)

2001 Winners

  • IBM Home Page Reader (Product – Assistive Technology)
  • Donald & Susan Miles' Residence (Facility)
  • iCan.com Web Site (Product – Information Technology)
  • Cool Thing Fabric – Danscott Industries (Product – Materials)
  • Michigan State University Shaw Lane Crossings (Product – Personal Mobility)
  • GM Mobility Center (Product – Vehicular Mobility)