For wheelchair users, snow-covered paths can create significant barriers to independent mobility.
Project group I14 standing in front of their project board at the Capstone Showcase.
Capstone Project Name:
Wheelchair Accessible Snow Shovel
Team Members:
- Axcan Alba Gonzalez – Mechanical Engineering
- Ian Schoeman – Mechanical Engineering
- Marcus Chan – Mechanical Engineering
- Aidan MacKenzie – Mechanical Engineering
- Lewis McCombie – Mechanical Engineering
- Michael Zidkovich – Mechanical Engineering
Students in the Capstone Design Project course partnered with Jeff Bourne, a Kelowna-based independent contractor, to develop a wheelchair-accessible snow plow attachment designed to help users clear a path independently after snowfall.
The team’s goal was to create a one-operator snow-removal attachment that could be operated from a wheelchair, reducing reliance on others while accounting for the practical constraints of real-world use.
Designing with lived experience
Bourne brings lived experience as a wheelchair user and played a key role in shaping the project’s direction. He contributed to the initial design concepts and provided user-specific insights that informed design decisions and helped optimize the solution for real-world use.
“I’ve had the idea for a wheelchair-accessible snow plow for as long as I can remember. It really stood out when I was living in the Glenrosa area of West Kelowna, where we got a lot of snow. Getting myself and my wife in and out during the winter was often a real challenge,” said Jeff Bourne.
For the team, Bourne’s experience helped define both the problem and the design priorities. The project required them to consider not only how the attachment would move snow, but also how it could connect securely to a wheelchair and function within the practical constraints of real-world use.
Early CAD concept showing the snow-clearing blade and proposed wheelchair attachment system.
What problem are you trying to solve, and why does it matter?
During heavy snowfall, it can be difficult and at times unsafe for wheelchair users to leave their homes if snow cannot be cleared in a timely way. This can limit mobility and make people more reliant on others for assistance.
“For myself and many others across Canada and other colder parts of the world, winter can be incredibly limiting,” said Bourne. “Once the snow hits, we can end up housebound for days or even weeks at a time. My hope is that with a wheelchair-accessible snow plow, that kind of isolation could become a thing of the past.”
The team set out to develop a solution that would help wheelchair users clear snow independently. By focusing on a one-operator system, the design is intended to allow users to clear a path from their wheelchair without relying on external assistance.
Working alongside Bourne gave the team a deeper understanding of the everyday barriers wheelchair users face during the winter, reinforcing how closely mobility and independence are connected.
“Thanks to Jeff, we were able to gain a greater understanding of what it is like to move through the world as a wheelchair user,” the team said. “It became very easy to see why the fight for independence, even in small tasks like plowing a driveway, is so crucial.”
Who does this solution impact the most?
Wheelchair users in areas with excessive amounts of snow.
What inspired your team to choose this project, broadly speaking?
We saw the project on the Capstone list and thought, “that might be kind of cool.” Immediately there were a few ideas brewing, so we decided to put it as our first choice of project.
Was there a specific moment, experience, or gap that made this problem stand out?
Not personally, we think the opportunity to work with a member of society was more enticing than working with a large company that already had its own ideas and expectations for a project. It gave us a little more room to be creative and better someone’s life.
What is one key technical challenge your team had to solve, and how did you approach it?
The frame of our plow is made of square aluminum tubing. One main technical challenge we faced was determining the tubing wall thickness required to withstand a significant amount of snow. To do this, we created SolidWorks models and ran simulations to determine the amount of force different thicknesses could withstand. In the end, we settled on 1/8” thick aluminum tubing.
CAD model used to develop the aluminum-tube frame and assess the snow shovel attachment’s structural design.
What makes your solution unique compared to existing approaches?
Our solution is incredibly economical compared to designs that already exist. Obviously, other designs are incredibly robust and professionally manufactured, but we put together a design that still gets the job done at a fraction of the cost.
Final prototype of the wheelchair-accessible snow shovel attachment, shown mounted to the project partner’s wheelchair.
What was the biggest challenge your team faced, and how did you overcome it?
We think the biggest challenge was figuring out where and how to attach the prototype to the wheelchair. Since the wheelchair is very ergonomic with lots of plastic covers, our only option was to use a tiedown eyelet that is connected directly to the frame of the wheelchair. However, the space available to attach to is quite small, which meant we needed a very simple design to accommodate those conditions. As a result, we came up with a simple pin and shackle design that was secure but still fit in the space provided.
What is something that didn’t go as planned, and what did you learn from it?
In the prototype phase of the project, we modelled our design and submitted our materials and measurements to the machine shop to have everything cut and welded. However, after receiving everything back, we realized our measurements were not as accurate as we had hoped, and the product didn’t fit quite right. We learned that the best and most accurate way to do things was to physically bring the wheelchair to the shop so the shop technicians could have it to ensure the fitment between the wheelchair and attachment was perfect.
What is a memorable, funny, or unexpected moment from your Capstone experience?
On the night that some of the large deliverables were due, we handed everything in and went out for wings as a celebratory dinner. That was a pretty enjoyable time.
How did your team collaborate or divide responsibilities?
At the beginning of the project, everyone was keen to chip in wherever they could. Towards the end, it became a little more difficult with the buildup of extra work from other courses. However, it was just a matter of figuring out what each person was good at or enjoyed doing, and then picking up the slack where it needed to be.
What is the most valuable skill or mindset you developed during Capstone?
We learned that working effectively as a team requires clear expectations, communication, and an understanding of each person’s strengths. The best we can do is make the expectations clear and lay the foundation to get them to begin working. We realized it takes a bit of finesse to find out what people are good at and then put them in positions that allow them to use that skill to push the project forward.
What is something that surprised you about working on a real-world engineering project?
We were surprised at the amount of work that was needed before even thinking about potential designs. Before getting to the prototype phase, we had to define the scope of the project, do some research and collect information. After that was done, then we could start to brainstorm possibilities.
What advice would you give to future Capstone students starting their projects?
We would say to start defining the scope and doing research as early as you can. The deliverables and meetings take up a lot of time and that time becomes very valuable towards the end of the project.
What would you do differently if you could start over?
We would probably start on things a little bit earlier.
What does the future look like for your project?
The design absolutely has the potential to be expanded on in the future. If the client would like to see future iterations done on the design, he could resubmit it into the Capstone Program next year or even take it to a shop and have them optimize it. As for our group, we think most of the team are content with the work we have done with it and don’t intend on taking it further.
If you had unlimited time and resources, how would you take this project further?
There are a number of things that would make the design easier to use. Optimizing the materials would be the first improvement, like utilizing high strength plastics instead of steel. Second, we would add a lever that allows the blade to lift off the ground slightly to deal with large obstacles or uneven surfaces. Lastly, we would optimize the T-handle attachment by putting it on a hinge and making it easier to use for users with low hand dexterity.
Do you see this project being implemented, scaled, or commercialized?
We don’t think there is enough demand for the product, especially in a place like Kelowna where snow melts within 24 hours of landing on the ground. However, if it was taken somewhere like Alberta where accumulation is a big problem, we think the product could absolutely be implemented.
Where can readers learn more about your work or project if it’s public (e.g. website, portfolio, LinkedIn)?
The project can be found in the “Projects” section of Michael Zidkovich’s ePortfolio: https://sites.google.com/view/michaelzidkovich/projects
Learn more about Capstone and how to submit a project proposal for 2026-2027!