Mercer engineering students create toy cars for disabled kids

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MACON, Ga. — Go, baby, go!

That's the name of the program Mercer's school of engineering and education is bringing back for the ninth time.

They'll be fitting customized toy cars for kids with mobility issues, so they can get around in a fun and safe way.

13WMAZ's Jessica Cha was there to see how these cars are impacting families' lives.

"He's getting a custom car that's meant for him-- it's amazing," says Tim Cooney.

Cooney and his wife Kristen Chester are parents to 3-year-old Rowan. He has cerebral palsy spastic diplegia, which makes his leg muscles stiff and hard to move.

"So, he uses a walker on a regular basis, or we support him walking around using our hands," Chester explains.

Philip McCreanor– an engineering professor and director of the honors engineering program– says kids like Rowan are perfect candidates for the Go, baby, go program.

14 kids will be getting a custom, fitted car created by honors students at the school of engineering.

"We started last night by basically doing some light electrical modifications to the vehicles. We also add a five piece harness, and we add blocking as needed to the sides of the body to keep them steady in there," McCreanor says.

He says the international ‘mobility to sociability’ program was developed by Dr. Cole Galloway at the University of Delaware. McCreanor says Galloway was studying the relationship between movement and intellectual development.

"If a child is not able to independently explore their environment, their social, emotional, and intellectual development is slowed down," he explains.

So, this gives kids a chance to connect with people.

"A family that had three daughters. Two traditionally enabled, and one with a lower body disability. The two other daughters would go ride their bikes in the neighborhood, and the third daughter wasn't able to do that," he says. "Once she had a Go, baby, go vehicle, the daughters are all in the neighborhood engaging together."

McCreanor also says the cars are customized to help exercise the areas where kids have their mobility issues.

Harsh Singh is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering. He says this is the perfect application of his skills. It's not only a fun ride, but physical therapy.

"So, it can be as simple as can you widen the doors a little bit, can you cut off a little bit here so they can fit better. For some of the kids whose heads kind of sit in a difficult position, one of the groups is working on making a cage for them so that it's kind of stable. So, even if they turn really hard, it doesn't throw their neck one way or another," Singh says.

Customizations like the Velcro straps being installed in Rowan's car to help him keep his feet apart.

"Separation between those two legs is really gonna help him build up those muscles as well," Chester says.

Chester says this program means a lot to families who can't do simple activities like running around in the backyard with their kid.

"Even if you're thinking about bikes and tricycles, other kids his age are gonna start working on them. He can't do that. So, this is something super special that he can have, and make him feel like 'Hey, I’m normal just like everybody else’," Chester says.

McCreanor says it takes them a couple of hours to build the cars, and they cost about $500 to make. He says the Mercer School of Engineering picked up this program in 2016.

Since then, they've helped a total of 130 kids.