Utah-based teen Zac Waters loves 3D printing. The 13-year-old has been experimenting, designing, and printing various objects at home for a while, but recently decided to use his technical skills to help others. Over the summer, he spent around 300 hours creating a custom 3D-printed custom wheelchair for a 21-month-old girl.
Zac was inspired after discovering MakeGood on YouTube, a nonprofit organization that 3D prints assistive devices for people with disabilities around the world. Wanting to do a good deed, he began printing and testing his wheelchair design until he finally built his colorful creation. When talking about his motivation for the project, Waters says, “It combines my two favorite things in life: 3D printing and helping people in need. It just makes sense!”
Zac designed the wheelchair to feature the little girl’s favorite color, pink. It also has a tray table, a removable cupholder, and the back of the chair has a space designed for heavier medical equipment. The adjustable straps are made with soft, flexible material, and the footrest and headrest are adjustable so that the wheelchair can be modified to fit the child as she grows.
Zac’s family has been hugely supportive of his passion for engineering. “We hope he always remembers that the greatest legacy anyone can leave is to make someone else’s life better,” his grandmother, Charlotte Waters, says. “His age does not define his ability to make a difference. His character does.”
Zac hopes he can continue improving his 3D-printed designs and one day reach the level of skill demonstrated by the MakeGood team.
Find out more about Zac’s wheelchair design in the video above.
MakeGood: Website | Facebook | Instagram |TikTok | YouTube
Source: ‘It just makes sense!’: 13-year-old builds 3D printed wheelchair for 21-month-old girl
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