Evaluating the Wheelchair-Accessibility of Vanderbilt’s Sidewalks

Having learned control and design of electromechanical systems throughout ME 2171 Instrumentation Lab, I prepared a final project to quantify the accessibility of sidewalks around Vanderbilt campus. I programmed a LabVIEW VI to take accelerometer data from each of three paths and used conventional data analysis techniques to determine the statistically smoothest path. Of course, for ease of transportation (and extra cool-factor), we strapped it all to an RC car. The results are in: if you are a wheelchair user traveling from the sophomore dorms to the engineering building, loop around Stapleton Hall. It’s proven science.