PROJECT MISSION
Our project focuses on supporting students with mental and physical disabilities who face challenges participating in sports that involve striking motions, such as using a racket or paddle. Our client works with low-mobility students in adaptive physical education (APE) who often struggle to simultaneously grasp an object, control its movement, and accurately aim it toward a target. These combined motor demands can create significant barriers to participation and skill development.
The urgency of this issue is amplified by the broader importance of physical education. Regular physical activity is strongly linked to improved physical health, social development, and emotional well-being — benefits that are especially critical for students with disabilities, who are statistically less likely to meet recommended activity levels. When striking-based sports are inaccessible, students lose opportunities to build coordination, cardiovascular endurance, and cooperative skills alongside their general education peers.
To address this need, our design aims to simplify the use of a racket by reducing the physical and cognitive effort required to hold, maneuver, and strike with it. By adapting the racket to better accommodate limited grip strength, restricted range of motion, and coordination difficulties, our solution seeks to maximize accessibility, confidence, and engagement in striking-based sports.
