Dedicated
to Assisting People with Disabilities to Achieve an Independent and
Fulfilling Life in the Community
Left-click on the picture
below
to view a larger
sketch
of the Pool Cue
plans as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document,
or Right-click to save it.
Spring-loaded Pool Cue
Challenge:
Micheline Comitz is a recreation therapist at
the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton. She
regularly takes patients for outings in the city, and playing pool
is a popular activity. Some patients with limited arm control
were finding it difficult to draw the cue back and then push it
forward to hit the ball. She came to Tetra for help.
Solution:
Tetra volunteer Tom Sisk,
P.Eng. agreed to take on the project. He
met with Micheline to discuss the needs of her and the patients,
then he got to work. Using a pool cue bought at a neighborhood
yard sale and some supplies from a local hardware store, he
devised a spring-loaded tip with three different settings. Players
push the spring in to the desired setting, depending on the
strength the shot requires, or have someone else set it for them.
To shoot, the spring-loaded tip is released by striking anywhere
along a cord that runs the length of the cue, requiring minimal
arm control on the part of the person playing pool.
Tetra Fredericton continues to stay in touch with the SCCR
regarding refinements to the pool cue.
