Please Vote For The Lift Assist Amazing Research Project!

Please go here ==> http://fllinnovation.firstlegoleague.org/liftassist <== and VOTE repeatedly from now until March 1st! This vote is a popularity contest, but I guarantee if this were based on utility and possibilities, our team would win! We need lots of votes! Explanation below...

Our son is on a First Lego League (FLL) Robotics team for Langston Charter Middle School. This is LCMS's first year in the competition, and Elijah's team got 2nd place in our regional competition! They go on to state competition on 2/23. 

The FLL competition "Challenge" is based on three equally-weighed parts:
1) the Robot Game
2) the Project
3) the FLL Core Values 
This year's project is based on the 2012 theme "Senior Solutions" - the goal is to improve the quality of life for seniors by helping them continue to be independent, engaged, and connected in their communities.

Below is a description of the Gear Turner's project. 

The Gear Turners have listened to several members of the senior citizen community and decided that physical mobility becomes difficult as people age. To answer this issue, we have constructed the LiftAssist. The LiftAssist is a device that helps elderly people get in and out of chairs. One of the most important advantages in the LiftAssist is that it is portable and lightweight. Consisting of two durable air bladders, the device inflates to comfortably support the person and lower them into the chair by deflating. When the person wants to get out of the chair, they reflate the air bladders to a semi-standing position. Then the senior citizen can comfortably move from the chair to a standing position.

We can't show pictures or give more details because the competition isn't over. But the Lift Assist product that was designed for the year's theme of 'Senior Solutions', and it has applications that far exceed that population! It could be used for anyone who needs help getting out of a chair (after surgery, with a disability, weak muscles, etc). It is extremely portable and easy to use. I could also see it being used for disabled children like our trisomy 18 daughter, Rebekah. The team has submitted it for a temporary patent. If they go further in the competition, we'll probably try for the full patent (but it is lots of $$)! This project far exceeds many of those on the leaderboard and we are woefully behind. But we know this is an amazing product!

Go and VOTE: http://fllinnovation.firstlegoleague.org/liftassist