The present invention is directed to a climbing wall comprising a climbing surface and a climbing assistance assembly that provides a disabled child with an opportunity to utilize the climbing wall. The climbing assistance assembly comprises a track mounted above at least a portion of the climbing surface and spanning at least a portion of the length of the climbing surface. A trolley, from which a rope is suspended, is configured to travel along the track. The rope is coupled both to the trolley and to a harness. The climbing assistance assembly may further include a fall arrest device configured to lower an end of the rope coupled to the harness from an elevated position to a rest position in a controlled manner. Because the trolley is configured to travel with a user wearing the harness as the user traverses a length of the climbing surface, the fall arrest device is positioned substantially directly above the user throughout the user's climbing experience, ensuring that if the user falls, the descent will occur in a safe and controlled manner.

Patient aid devices and an associated method of supporting an upper extremity are described and include a mobile upper extremity support for the patient. A support assembly supports a first side of an upper body of the user for movement along a first rail. The support assembly also allows motion of a second side of an upper body relative to the first side.

A patient aid assembly includes an upper extremity support assembly and a housing associated therewith. The housing slidingly engages a rail and allows relative movements therealong. First and second upper extremity support assemblies are received on first and second rails, respectively. An interconnecting member us hingedly connected to each of first and second housings that support the UE support assemblies.

A bowling ball ramp includes a substantially transparent, generally hollow, tubular stand assembly, a substantially transparent, generally hollow, tubular ramp assembly structurally coupled to the stand assembly, and lighting embedded within at least one of the stand assembly and the ramp assembly. A detection sensor is provided for detecting a bowling ball on the ramp assembly. Electronics activate the lighting to illuminate the stand assembly and/or the ramp assembly in response to the detection sensor detecting the bowling ball on the ramp assembly. The electronics may also activate an audio speaker to produce an audible sound in response to the detection sensor detecting the bowling ball on the ramp assembly. The embedded lighting and/or the audible sound enhance the enjoyment of a bowling experience for a child or handicapped individual using the bowling ball ramp.

Exercise equipment, particularly a linear movable structure and associated selectable elastic resistance bands with or without guide track members are designed to allow low-impact exercises for one or two persons at the same time while permitting either or both participants to remain stationary when utilizing the equipment.

A mobility device designed to extend the usable field of movement for people with physical limitations by allowing them to descend to the ground and ascend to an upright position with ease. A user may bring the device within their vicinity, grab onto the articulating handles and safely reach the ground to engage in a ground activity. When the ground activity is completed, the user simply grabs onto the sloping handholds and ascends step-by-step until they have made their way to a standing position. The device is portable and can be stowed around the home. It is likely to be close to the user at all times, thus it is a safe means of ensuring support when a caretaker is not present.

A respiratory device of negative pressure type comprising a shell fastened to the user's chest and/or abdomen with minimal dead space, one or more vacuum and compressed air chambers attached to the shell; vacuum generating and compressed air generating sources connected to the vacuum and compressed air chambers respectively, one or more openings on the shell to allow exchange of the air enclosed between shell and user's body, with the vacuum and compressed air chambers; a valve shuttling between the vacuum and compressed air chambers. By having low dead space, pre-generated vacuum and compressed air close to the user, and the use of fast acting valves in some embodiments, the power requirement, weight, and size are reduced, making the device low cost and portable. In some embodiments, the vacuum and compressed air generating sources can be mounted on the shell itself, making the device ambulatory.

A bowling ball launcher has a frame and a rail oriented from a front of the frame to a back of the frame. A push pad is configured to slide along the rail. An elastic mechanism is coupled to the push pad and extends toward the front of the frame. A winch is coupled to the push pad toward the back of the frame. The winch includes a motor, a winch wheel, and a cable extending from the winch wheel to the push pad. The winch also includes a clutch between the motor and winch wheel. A shock absorber is disposed near the front of the frame. A plurality of position sensors is attached to the frame along the rail. A power meter is configured to move the push pad to one of the position sensors by operation of the winch.

An orthotic foot rest is a pedal for a pedaling machine. It includes a platform, an instep-strap and/or a heel strap and a width-adjusting assembly. The platform holds a person's foot that is either bare or in a shoe. When present, the instep-strap forms an arch extending up above the platform such that the person's foot, with or without a shoe, can be slipped under the arch and rest on the platform. When present, the heel strap encircles the person's foot. A width-adjusting assembly adjusts the tension against the side of the foot to secure it in place on the platform. Paired-strap-posts define a u-shaped-slot between them that is wide enough to receive the strap and restrain a cam buckle that is slidably attachable on each of the straps. A release strap enables a person to pull on the release-strap to remove the buckle from the u-shaped-slot.

Motorized assist systems are provided which are operable to assist in initiating and ceasing the rotation of rollers of wheelchair treadmill systems, and to provide resistance to user-applied forces to facilitate effective exercise. In some embodiments, the motorized assist system includes a driving motor mechanically connected to one or more rollers of a wheelchair treadmill and a sensor. The sensor is configured to detect a rotational force or a rotational velocity of the roller(s) of the wheelchair treadmill. The driving motor is configured to exert a driving force on the roller in response to a detected rotational force on the roller or in response to a detected rotational velocity of the roller.