UC students design warming system for Paralympians
By Aaron Thomas
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CINCINNATI (WLWT) — As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina prepares to end, top international para-athletes are preparing for the spotlight at next month’s Paralympic Games.
A team of University of Cincinnati engineering students is working behind the scenes to develop innovative devices for adaptive athletes, putting final touches on a warming system designed for competitors with prosthetic limbs.
These tools aim to help athletes avoid issues with equipment and prevent further injury, particularly during extreme weather events.
“Being in mechanical engineering, I never saw myself learning to sew,” Ethan Edelenbos said.
As one of the students on the design team, Edelenbos has spent months developing a compression sleeve-style warming device. It’s designed to secure comfortably to a residual limb without relying on a single restrictive band.
Athletes with amputations can face significant challenges in winter sports, where residual limbs are exposed to cold temperatures. Students said maintaining warmth helps reduce discomfort and the risk of injury during competition.
The design team, dubbed “Bearcat Bobsled,” will have its work tested at a national competition hosted at Virginia Tech in April. The event is organized by Project S.E.R.V.E., a nonprofit that partners with university engineering programs to develop customized devices for veterans with amputations.
For Joe Robbins, this is more than a capstone project to graduate.
“It’s more about making an impact, actually contributing something to a needed community,” Robbins said.
UC’s team will compete against 11 other universities developing similar products.
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