Tennessee Tech Students Build All-Terrain Wheelchair for Nashville Peer

The versatile device allows a Nashville State Community College student to reconnect with the outdoors after a devastating motorcycle accident.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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A team of Tennessee Tech engineering students collaborated with a Nashville State Community College student to build an all-terrain wheelchair that allows the student, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle crash, to return to the trails and outdoor activities he enjoyed before the accident. The project, which combined two motorized mountain bikes, was part of a course that has provided custom-designed devices for special needs families in Middle Tennessee for over 25 years.

Why it matters

This story highlights the power of peer-to-peer collaboration and the positive impact that accessible technology can have on the lives of people with disabilities. The all-terrain wheelchair gives the Nashville student the freedom to reconnect with nature and the activities he loved, demonstrating the importance of inclusive design and engineering solutions.

The details

The all-terrain wheelchair was created in Professor Stephen Canfield's kinematics and dynamics of machinery course at Tennessee Tech University. A team of five engineering students - John Avery, Bradon Hopper, Christa Irby, Luke White, and Ashton Greenwood - worked directly with the Nashville State Community College student, Michael Vhan McGuire, to design and build the custom device. The students researched existing all-terrain wheelchair models, taking inspiration from one called 'The Rig,' and ultimately settled on a variation that combined two motorized mountain bikes, dubbed the 'Chariot.'

  • The project was completed in 2026.
  • McGuire was paralyzed in a devastating motorcycle crash two years prior to the project.

The players

Michael Vhan McGuire

A student at Nashville State Community College who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident and collaborated with the Tennessee Tech students to design and build the all-terrain wheelchair.

Tennessee Tech University

The university where the engineering students who built the all-terrain wheelchair are enrolled. The project was part of a course that has provided custom-designed devices for special needs families in Middle Tennessee for over 25 years.

Professor Stephen Canfield

The professor at Tennessee Tech University who taught the kinematics and dynamics of machinery course where the all-terrain wheelchair project was completed.

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What they’re saying

“It was easy working with someone our own age. Vhan knew what he wanted, what features he needed, and he could explain these things clearly to us.”

— John Avery, Tennessee Tech engineering student (wsmv.com)

“A regular wheelchair struggles on any surface that isn't hard and flat. Now, having a piece of equipment that can go anywhere — and that I feel comfortable with— is a blessing. This gets me back to what I loved doing and how I loved living before my accident.”

— Michael Vhan McGuire (wsmv.com)

What’s next

The all-terrain wheelchair will allow McGuire to reconnect with the outdoor activities he enjoyed before his accident, and the Tennessee Tech students plan to continue refining the design to make it more accessible for others with similar needs.

The takeaway

This collaborative project between Tennessee Tech engineering students and a Nashville State Community College student demonstrates the power of inclusive design and peer-to-peer collaboration to create life-changing assistive technology. The all-terrain wheelchair gives McGuire the freedom to return to the trails and outdoor pursuits he loved, highlighting the importance of accessible solutions for people with disabilities.