ION
Movement for the masses
Costco member Dylan Vaughn got the fateful
diagnosis in 2013: His son, Connor, then age 4,
had a progressive form of muscular dystrophy
called Duchenne. This rare genetic disease causes
muscle weakness and degeneration throughout
the body, including the heart and the respiratory
system. Most people with Duchenne muscular
dystrophy require a wheelchair by age 12. But a
power wheelchair costs anywhere from $1,500
to $30,000, out of reach for many families.
“After the shock of diagnosis, I realized one
way I could try to help Connor, and others, was
to bring new technology into the space of people
with disabilities,” says Vaughn, a software
developer. “I wanted to fill an unmet need for
an affordable, easily built power chair.”
To this end, Vaughn founded Robomakery
Above: Dylan Vaughn;
their service dog,
Jinxy; Dylan’s son,
Ryan, modeling
the powered PVC
wheelchair that Dylan
helped develop for
his other son, Connor.
( robomakery.com) in 2016. He began creating
different prototypes, made of PVC pipe and other
readily available components. The goal was not
to create a product that people could buy, but to
design a reliable, functional, open-source power
wheelchair that people could make themselves,
saving anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000 over
a commercially made power chair. Open source
means the plans are freely available to anyone,
making this do-it-yourself version affordable
for nearly everyone.
Vaughn and his team of four volunteers and
one contractor continue to enhance the design,
making it more reliable, effective and accessible.
—Elisabeth Handley
Creating positive memories
When a young mom or dad is diagnosed with
late-stage cancer, it’s devastating for the children.
C
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Changing
the
world
Costco members
find ways to improve
others’ lives
