Amos Winter is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has conducted multiple projects aimed at generating improved wheelchair technology in the developing world, including assessing the state of wheelchair technology in Tanzania, writing a manual on basic mechanical engineering principles for wheelchair technicians, and researching optimized systems for upper body propulsion. He is the director of the MIT Mobility Lab (M-Lab) and teaches the MIT class SP.784 "Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries".

Dr. Frey's research concerns robust design of engineering systems. Robust design is a set of engineering practices whose aim is to ensure that engineering systems function despite variations due to manufacture, wear, deterioration, and environmental conditions.

Prof. Frey has received numerous awards and honors. These include the Junior Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2006, a best paper award from INCOSE in 2005, an NSF CAREER award in 2004; the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Teaching Award in 2000; the Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching at MIT in 1999; and an R&D 100 Award in 1997. He also received the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his service in the armed forces in 1991.

Prof. Frey is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Statistical Association (ASA), the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado and a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

For more information about M-Lab's faculty supervisor, visit his faculty pages here and here.

Mario Bollini recently graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He became involved with the MIT Mobility Lab through a research project on the biomechanics of wheelchair propulsion and proceeded to work on a variety of other projects, including a novel two-speed handcycle drivetrain, a detachable handcycle attachment for wheelchairs in developing countries, and the Leveraged Freedom Chair. He is a past student and lab instructor for the course SP.784, "Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries."

Danielle DeLatte is a junior at MIT studying Aerospace Engineering pursuing a minor in Applied International Studies. She met Amos Winter at a career fair and has been working on M-Lab projects ever since. She is currently M-Lab's webmaster and is working on the Leveraged Freedom Chair and the Worldwide Mobility donation network. Danielle blogs for Worldwide Mobility and maintains a personal blog.

Shirley (S.B. 07, M.Eng '08), is currently an alumni, working in the Boston area at a law firm. As a MIT Public Service Center fellow, she traveled to Tanzania for a summer, and documented her trip on her blog. She is continuing her work with Worldwide Mobility to carry out Amos Winter's mission to help people with disabilities through technology and engineering.

Forrest Funnell '09 graduated from MIT with degrees in Physics and Business Management. He became involved in M-Lab when he stumbled upon Amos Winter's Wheelchair Design for Developing Countries class in the Spring of 2008. In the class, he worked in a team to design a wheelchair attachment that helps users create small businesses. He helped with early developing of Worldwide Mobility, an organization that aims to connect donors to the disabled poor in order to supply them with appropriate mobility aids. In his free time, Forrest enjoys rock climbing, surfing, traveling, and the guitar.

Ben Judge (MIT Mechanical Engineering, 2011) worked on further developing a motor-assisted tricycle concept in Amos' Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries. He and the rest of the "Powertrike" group went to Kenya in the summer of 2009 to build, test, and gather feedback on a prototype. Currently Ben has a UROP with the LFC and is a project mentor for the Powertrike in SP.784. In his spare time he does not run ultra marathons.

Harry is a junior in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. In his spare time he runs ultra marathons. He has worked on the Leveraged Freedom Chair project for the past two years.

Tish is studying Mechanical Engineering at MIT. She enjoys using her engineering skills to work on public service projects.

April graduated from Boston University with a degree in Psychology in 2004. She returned to school to study Industrial Design at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in '07. She participated in MIT's Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries course during spring of '08, and received funding through Mobility Lab to travel to South Africa to design a school desk for kids in developing countries. She also blogged about her trip. April is moving to Sri Lanka in November '08 to help Emerge Global (an NGO founded by a current MIT student) develop and make the world a little bit better.

Danielle Whited is a current junior at MIT studying mechanical engineering with international development as well as pursuing a minor in International Relations. She first got involved with M-Lab through the class SP.784: Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries during Spring 2009 where she was part of a team that designed motorized tricycle wheelchair. During the summer of 2009, she and her two classmates, Ben Judge and John Walton, received M-Lab and IROP (International Research Opportunities Program) funding to continue the project in Nairobi, Kenya with the Association of the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK). When not juggling homework and MIT Dancetroupe, she continues to stay involved with MLab and Worldwide Mobility in any capacity possible and hopes to continue to be able to use her engineering skills for public good throughout her life.