On January 20, an electric wheelchair designed and manufactured by DTU was sent one thousand kilometers from Danang to Mr. Cao Trong Quan in Tuyen Quang, who has been disabled since childhood, is immobilized and can no longer work.
DTU staff and lecturers deliver an electric wheelchair to Mr. Trong Quan and his family
Mr. Quan also has a child with a birth defect and, like him, those who cannot take care of themselves become impoverished. When Mr. Quan heard about DTU’s electric wheelchair for the disabled he wrote to the university for help.
“When the wheelchair arrived, I was very eager to take it out immediately!”
“A new electric wheelchair costs from 16 to 20 million VND, which we can’t afford,” explained Mr. Quan. “When I heard about DTU on Danang Television, I wanted their wheelchair to become more mobile and reduce my hardship.”
DTU lecturers instruct Mr. Quan and his grandchild how to operate his electric wheelchair
When DTU first designed the wheelchair, they concentrated on making it easy for the disabled to use. So, after only a little instruction, Mr. Quan was able to ride it a short distance.
“Less than two months after I wrote the letter, I received this wonderful present, which was beyond my imagination,” said Mr. Quan emotionally. “This brings enormous joy for my family at Tet this year. I’ll try to become proficient enough to ride it to the village and visit the local Club of the Elderly.”
Significant gifts to the disabled Spring after Spring
During the 2019 Lunar New Year, DTU donated the first ten electric wheelchairs to Danang families suffering in difficult conditions from social welfare problems.
DTU electric wheelchairs have already been donated to several of the disabled
In March 2019, DTU worked with the Danang Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to gift an electric wheelchair to Senior Revolutionary Cadre Tran Than. When he retired, after 53 years of serving the revolutionary movement, his advanced age and severe illness made it increasingly difficult for him to move around.
“I’ve been paralyzed for many years now, and my previous wheelchair was too old to use,” explained Mr. Than. “But, with this new electric wheelchair, I can easily go in all directions and turn around unassisted. I sincerely thank DTU for their understanding, their aspirations, and this valuable gift. It was a beautiful gesture by the university to improve my own mobility and others in similar circumstances.”
The wheelchairs were awarded a utility patent three years ago
DTU’s electric wheelchairs were designed with ease of assembly and compactness in mind, ensuring the safety and health of the disabled users. Their assembly was improved with a latch release mechanism, to facilitate the removal or replacement of the motor, which was manufactured on mechanical-processing machinery, with CNC mills, lathes and laser cutters.
The electric wheelchair donated to Senior Revolutionary Cadre Tran Than (top left)
“Over the years, the university has been focusing on applied research, resulting in the creation of products that are useful in the community,” said the Dean of the DTU Faculty of Machine Engineering, Dr. Vu Duong. “Our humanitarian staff and lecturers are dedicated to designing products with love and responsibility.”
The DTU staff and lecturers who designed the electric wheelchair
Mr. Trong Quan’s wheelchair is a new model, designed solely by the DTU Faculty of Machine Engineering, with convenient improvements made to take apart, assemble, operate, and maintain the product.
“In addition to the majors studied by 1,000 Mechatronics Engineering and Automotive Engineering Technology students, a new major in Machine Manufacturing Technology will be offered this year, providing in-depth training in manufacturing mechatronics, with excellent career opportunities for skilled engineers to create many new varied products for community use.”
(Media Center)