I recently held a heartwarming fundraising party to support the further development of the Juria. The event featured a live band, speeches, and an auction of unique items donated by my close family members. With the community's generous contributions, I raised over $7,000, bringing the innovative adaptive stroller closer to reality and highlighting the power of collaboration in transforming lives. Moving forward, we plan to work on further designs of the Juria. I also plan to build another Juria which can be donated to an individual in need in my surrounding community. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and to all the generous donors. I am so grateful for the opportunity to make the Juria possible. 

While the joystick offers precise control, it requires skill to operate effectively, particularly in tight spaces. The sensitivity makes it challenging for beginners, with small inputs potentially causing large movements, demanding practice for accurate handling.

Reinforced rails with gussets  The rails now have gussets on both sides for added strength and stability, which should help the frame withstand more stress. Joystick mounted on handlebar for better control  The joystick is now mounted on the handlebar instead of the canopy frame. The previous setup felt too high and wasn’t comfortable for natural, two-handed control. This new position improves safety and grip.  Off-road swivel wheel with improved tread  The original swivel wheel didn’t handle rocks or curbs well. I found a replacement tire with an inner tube with better tread on Amazon - link below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R87DHRL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

We used 1” aluminum square tubing for the rails design that supports the canopy and chassis. During the third test drive on grass (a bumpy surface), both rails broke, but not at the welds, so it doesn’t seem to be a fabrication issue—it looks like they were just overstressed. Switching to 1.5” aluminum tubing would be ideal since it’s almost three times stronger. For now, we're sticking with the 1” tubing and adding gussets on both sides of each rail to reinforce it. The final design will use 1.5” tubing.   Updated rail design - PDF and .dfx file PDF .dfx

The Sandbags: 150lbs We tested the Juria by loading 150 lbs of sandbags into the seat to simulate a driver's weight. It handled the extra weight easily, with smooth steering and stable balance, even when the load shifted. This test was done to check its ability to handle real use and identify any design weaknesses. The Joystick The joystick controller which we mounted on top of the canopy, was awkward to use without a handle. We'll explore adding a handlebar and a better placement for the joystick. Promising Start with Room for Improvement The first drive of the Juria went smoothly, handling rough terrain well with extra weight. Stock Wike wheels and tires worked, but more rugged off-road tires would be better for the electric dual drive. The front swivel wheel lacks tread, so we'll find a better off-road option. This setup performs perfectly on paved surfaces.

Fork Installation: Shimming and Adjustments When the fork arrived, it wasn’t an exact fit, which required some shimming to make it work. Shimming helped align the fork properly, though it needed a few adjustments and some strategic bending to get it to fit perfectly. After a bit of trial and error, we finally achieved a solid, smooth fit. This is crucial because the fork has to handle both the steering and the additional weight that comes with adding electric components like the motor and battery. Battery Box Mounting: Function Over Form Mounting the battery was a bit more challenging than expected, primarily because of the need to balance weight distribution. We decided to mount the battery box directly on top of the front fork. While it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing solution, it’s functional. The placement distributes weight more evenly, helping with the overall stability of the stroller, especially when navigating turns or uneven terrain. We will likely revisit this mounting...