My disability made me do it

Issue title: Technology Transfer

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Fetterman, Thomas^{; *}

Affiliations: Thomas Fetterman, Inc., 1680 Hillside Rd., Southampton, PA 18966, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 215 3556941; fax: + 1 215 3579394; e-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: This paper is about my disability an how it spawned inventiveness. Looking back on the 43 years that I have had polio it is clear that my disability prepared me for my vocation as an inventor. My dependence on crutches and braces for mobility caused me to become ‘handy’ so I could maintain and repair my own equipment. My disability clearly defined my mobility needs. Lack of mobility motivated me to create solutions. The solutions were immediately put to the test. Poor solutions were frustrating, successful solutions were their own reward.

Keywords: Disability, Crutches, Tips, Fetterman, Invention

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-1997-71-208

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 7, no. 1-2, pp. 73-76, 1997