Three Trine University biomedical engineering graduates got to see the impact they can make when they handed off their senior design project on May 13 to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Kortney Helm, Madison Howard and Connor Moon developed a system to help Chris Billmyer, a double above-the-knee amputee who was injured in Afghanistan, enjoy kayaking.

The Trine group’s system includes a collapsible crane that fits in the back of Billmyer’s truck to lift the kayak, a collapsible dolly cart with bag to transport an inflatable kayak, and customized waterproof waders.

The process provided the students the opportunity to apply skills learned in class, including a lot of statistical analysis, CAD modeling and finite element analysis modeling.

BAE Systems’ Tech Power: Innovating for Impact program, which connects veterans, leading engineering programs at universities nationwide, and the company’s engineering mentors, supported the project. During the spring semester, the students built the system and tested it for safety and fit.