Cup with Motor-Run Straw

grabcad

For my submission, I’ve chosen to redesign the standard drinking cup to better fit the needs of those who cannot drink as easily as someone with full use of the muscles of their mouth (for example, those with Bell’s palsy, which causes paralysis/loss of control over the muscles of the face). My version of the drinking cup uses a 9 volt battery, a motor-run pump, a straw, and a push button to send water up the straw without any effort on the user’s part beyond actually pressing said button. All of the electronics, save the button, would be concealed in the bottom chamber of the cup and within the hollow handle of the cup, safely sealed away from the liquid. The bottom chamber would be given an accessible bottom, so that if the electronics require repair, they could easily be accessed by flipping the cup over. The button would be wired to the motor through the hollow handle.Alternatively, this could also serve the needs of the elderly, who might have difficulty with everyday use of their cheek and jaw muscles. The current standard for those who cannot intake fluids from a cup or through a straw is to intubate them or hydrate them using IV needles, which tend to be uncomfortable or even intrusive. With this cup, getting water into the mouth of a patient does not require the facial ability to use a straw.My mentor at Bergen County Academies was Mr. Joseph Defalco.