A RGOTOTS
Programs like ‘Go Baby Go’ and ArgoTots address a need by having students apply knowledge gained in the classroom to realworld scenarios all while truly making a difference in the lives of local families. When the program was introduced, six mechanical engineering students chose ArgoTots as their enterprise program after recognizing an opportunity to positively impact others. Fred Anderson, Selena Beasley, Isaac Brunet, Phillip Mitchell, Cody Sewell and Shane Smith put in countless hours over the last year custom fitting a tractor for Jack. The design, materials testing and calculations took months of preparations, while the implementation of
the design and planned modifications took less than a week. During the fall semester, students documented in detail each step of the build and modification process. They conducted rigorous testing and inspection after each modification and were required to give multiple presentations on their progress or any issues during the build. Brunet, the fifth Argo in his family of 10, said that this level of personalization makes ArgoTots special. “After connecting with the Carroll family in October, we worked closely with them throughout the process, from the early days of choosing Jack as a good candidate
for ArgoTots, to making a thoughtful decision to modify a tractor, which is one of his favorite things, and finally being able to be there when he first saw and drove the tractor,” Brunet said. Rather than modifying the vehicle in a standard way, the students learned about Jack’s specific needs and tailored the rider experience before the building process began. The team considered important factors such as which side of the car to place the pedal on, the addition of a 3-point-harness to secure a busy child and the installation of a remote control that allows Jack’s parents to operate and stop the vehicle.
“This project has made me more optimistic about life after graduation. I was able to use what is at times seemingly impersonal knowledge that I’ve learned and apply it in a fun way that made a big difference in a child’s life.” —Isaac Brunet, mechanical engineering student
“We did materials testing throughout the process,” Brunet said. “The tractor came with an extra trailer, so we were able to take the tensile properties of the plastics and use that information to apply certain scenarios to the modifications that we made.” This materials testing allowed the team to evaluate the vehicle modifications to make sure they are safe. Students utilized concepts learned in engineering classes to perform preliminary calculations and design prior to building the tractor. “We assumed very radical circumstances that will probably never happen in real life, but accounting for those helped us consider all of the ‘what-ifs’ and ensure that the
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Fall 2019
vehicle was safe for Jack,” Brunet said. “In one tensile test, we considered an extreme scenario seeing if the plastic would fail if the car was upside down and an 85-pound child was supported by nothing but the harness at one specific point. Of course, we had to make sure it wouldn’t.” Jack’s newfound independence allows him to explore, play and navigate the world like his friends from school. Danielle Carroll, Jack’s mom, recognizes the value that ArgoTots has for her son and could someday have for similar children and families in the community as the program grows. “The biggest challenge for Jack, of course, is that he wants to be moving,”
Danielle said. “This is something huge for him because he will be able to get on a vehicle and be able to play and get around. From what I’ve seen, we have a lot of kids in the community with disabilities and mobility challenges and this is a great community-university partnership.” This partnership is duly rewarding for students who are able to witness the positive influence of their work. “This project has embodied not only an engineering aspect, but has also helped out others. It is a great project all around,” Sewell said.