Thesis Project
2006-2007
Grip Free Trainers
Portable Exercise Equipment Universal in Scope

In the summer of 2005, I saw an Oscar nominated movie called “ Murderball”. The movie was about quadriplegics who play a young sport called “Murderball” or Wheelchair Rugby. Many players became quadriplegics after injuring their spinal cord. Their condition, in terms of level of mobility and hand function, varies depending on which part of their spinal cord was injured. In any case, all of them have some impairments in all four limbs; thus their designation as quadriplegics. The power and the determination of the players in the film so moved me that when the time for choosing my Thesis topic came, I knew I was going to design/develop products for these unique athletes. After research that included interviews with over 60 people, among them both international and local level players in the U.S., Japan and Canada as well as medical professionals, I developed and designed affordable portable exercise tools that are universal in scope.