Dr. Jaimie Borisoff, Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball and director of BCIT’s MAKE+ applied research group, is leading a team to compete at Cybathlon 2024 in Switzerland. This unique competency promotes the development of assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Borisoff’s journey began at age 19 when a car accident left him with a severe spinal cord injury. Instead of seeing it as a setback, he saw it as a challenge to overcome, an attitude that has defined his approach to life and work ever since.
Team BCIT’s offering, dubbed «The BEAST,» is an electric wheelchair designed to navigate challenging terrain, including uneven rocks, tree roots and even stairs. This innovative device represents Borisoff’s vision of combining existing wheelchair technology with advanced robotics and exoskeletons. The Cybathlon competition features eight categories with various tasks to complete, serving as a platform to showcase practical and applied research in assistive technologies.
For Borisoff, who holds multiple academic positions and has extensive experience in rehabilitation engineering design, the Cybathlon is more than just a competition. It is an opportunity to highlight the important work being done at BCIT to improve the lives of people with mobility disabilities. With nearly 2.7 million Canadians experiencing mobility challenges, the development of technologies like The BEAST could have a significant impact on accessibility and quality of life for many people. Borisoff’s personal experience with disability has fueled his passion for creating solutions that enable others to overcome everyday obstacles.
Head to the BCIT News website to more details about The Beast.
Fountain: vancouver sun
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