A solar-powered bicycle that IBM helped fund for a team of high-school students soared to first place at the spring annual Tour de Sol in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. where thousands of energy-efficient vehicles competed recently.
But for many members of the team of high-school students who designed, built and raced the bicycle, winning was secondary.
That's because the bicycle was engineered to be accessible for racing by students with disabilities, including those with cerebral palsy.
Innovative accessible technology
"The brakes and accelerator are completely hand-controlled," explains Chris Eachus, the advisor to the solar racing team and a physics teacher at Newburgh Free Academy High School in New York. "It's also very easy to enter and exit the bike."
A tiltable solar array collects the sun's rays by positioning the array as close to perpendicular to the rays as possible, The front wheel of the solar bike is for both steering and power and the electric motor above the wheel drives it through a chain.
The team also took second place at Saratoga with a newer bicycle they built this year after school and week-ends. And last year, the team came in second-place in a national competition in Topeka, Kansas.
Promoting the value of technology
"The project's a great way to promote the value of science, technology and alternative energy and get these kids interested in the value of technology," says Chris.
High school senior and solar car team member Jessica Benson agrees.
"We've all learned so much, and the best part was that everyone had a chance to participate and work together," says Jessica, aged 17. "It's such a great feeling knowing that we're going to make a difference on future technology."
IBM's support of the solar car project builds on the company's programs to bolster the pipeline of job candidates with disabilities — including science summer camps for kids and internships and job training programs for young adults with disabilities.
"There is almost always a way to adapt something with technology based on people's needs — whether or not they have a disability or limitation," says Millie DesBiens, program manager, People with Disabilities.
And there's an invaluable lesson for the students according to Jessica. "Being a member of the solar racing team has made all the team members realize that anything is possible," she says.
"These students have a can-do attitude all of a sudden," says Chris. "And it teaches them that they can break into a new activity and, most important, do it with a tremendous sense of pride."