As the groundbreaking Steampunk Springfield exhibition approaches its conclusion at the Springfield Museums, guest curator Bruce Rosenbaum has produced one more surprise from his bag of Steampunk magic tricks.

Rosenbaum’s company, ModVic, has been actively working with designers and technicians on various products designed to help physically disabled people to overcome and ultimately transcend their disabilities. According to Rosenbaum, “Design can change how people engage with users of assisted living devices.  We want to take the conversation away from the functional device and direct it to the user's aesthetic, self-expression and individuality.”

Steampunk Wheelchair Design on YouTube >>

An example of this work is the Steampunk wheelchair now on display at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. “The Quantum Steampunk Wheelchair” has its origins in a design challenge put forth by Rosenbaum’s company, ModVic, and the Open Engineering site GradCAD on behalf of a disabled teen from Florence, MA. The winning entry was submitted by designer Greg Hurley, who modified a stock chair from Quantum/Pride Mobility Products.

This particular version of Greg’s winning design boasts Victorian-era hardware, including a repurposed ship’s light, a fuel tank, and vintage gauges together with state-of-the-art joystick functionality. Greg created this version with design assistance from Salmon Studios and fabrication by Michael Ulman and Steve Brook. The chair is a perfect addition to the many innovations and inventions featured in the Wood Museum.

Steampunk Springfield: Re-Imagining an Industrial City closes on Sunday, September 28, so visitors have less than three weeks to view the Quantum Steampunk wheelchair and the many other featured works,  many of which are still for sale to the general public.