Department of Biomedical Engineering

BME Students at the University of Rochester Design Tricycle Controlled with One Hand

Five students at the University of Rochester have designed a tricycle control system that allows some people with disabilities to steer, brake and shift gears with one hand. The project is getting international recognition and is a finalist for a da Vinci Award this month. Martin Szeto is one of the students behind the MonoMano Cycling system. They worked under the guidance of Professors Laurel Carney and Amy Lerner at the U of R's Department of Biomedical Engineering.

MonoMano is a product of BME's esteemed Senior Design program, which introduces students to a systematic, customer-driven design and problem solving approach resulting in development of prototype medical devices or research instruments. Over the past 10 years, students have completed over 120 projects including clinical devices, assistive technology, and biomedical research intruments and protocols with MonoMano Cycling being the first student-founded corporation.

The the senior design program has had at least 7 winning entries in National Design competitions, 1 NY State Business Plan Competition, 3 winners in the Mark Ain Business Plan Competition and a ten-year track record of success at the Forbes Engineering Entrepreneurship Competition.