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Cal Poly engineering students design, create trailer hitch for veteran amputee

Posted at 3:00 PM, Jun 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-26 21:29:04-04

Throughout the past school year, four mechanical engineering students at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo designed and built a reversible trailer hitch for Taylor Morris, a veteran and amputee.

Morris lost parts of all his limbs in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan.

Max Selna, Max Cossalter, Joe Hearn, and Eric Ringsrud spent about nine months working on a trailer hitch that would give Morris a little bit more independence.

Through machine work and welding, the group created a modified trailer hitch receiver that would work with Morris’ prosthetics. The hitch was presented to Morris on Saturday, which proved to be accessible and paired well with his prosthetics.

This project is just one of six that was completed through the Quality of Life Plus (QL+) program at Cal Poly campus, all of which benefited veterans.