E-Tetra Kayak: Adaptive Sport Kayak for Recreational Therapy for Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries

A person with tetraplegia has lost the ability to willfully control his/her arms and legs, usually due to a severe spinal cord injury. Existing technologies using head motion or puffs of breath to control device movement promise increased mobility and the possibility of expanding recreational activities in a variety of forms to this population. Lack of access to rehabilitative services and engaging recreational activity fosters inactivity. This often creates an environment that causes individuals with physical disabilities to experience reduced function and mobility beyond the cause of their disability, and further disengages them from society ¹. Adaptive sports are increasing in popularity and provide many benefits to participants.