Mariea's Cart

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The carts used by a number of the Building Custodians on the Rice campus can be heavy and difficult to maneuver in some situations when loaded with various tools, water buckets and trash. A problem was brought to our attention when Maria Moldonado, custodian of the Mechanical Engineering building, was on sick leave because of back pains resulting from her work. The decision was made to motorize her cart in order to relieve some of the strain on her back. The project was given the name "Maria’s Cart" after her.

The goals were to provide a self-contained drive unit that was small and compact. The power source should last at least one full working day and be capable of being recharged at night. The students were challenged to build a usable cart, not a prototype. Since no design of this type was known, this required a thorough study of the engineering needs. Every problem was anticipated and every goal was met. Maria is very proud and happy with the cart.