The aim of this project is to provide a manual wheelchair simulator for advanced wheelchair research within Toronto Rehabilitation Institute‘s Challenging Environment Assessment Laboratory (CEAL). To achieve this, a comprehensive mathematical model of the wheelchair/user system and a fully adjustable physical interface (which mimics various wheelchair configurations) have been developed. The mathematical model is unique in its ability to predict complex motions such as wheelies, and is able to update the wheelchair‘s position in a virtual environment, and calculate the force-feedback required for simulating various slopes and surfaces. The physical interface is used to measure the inputs required by the mathematical model (hand-rim input torques, hand and torso positions, and user centre-of-mass position), and utilizes servo motors to provide force-feedback at the wheelchair‘s hand-rims. Preliminary results comparing real-world wheelchair motion data to the mathematical model‘s predictions are presented, along with the physical interface design and mathematical model development.

Powered wheelchairs offer a means of independent mobility for older adults who are unable to walk and cannot propel a manual wheelchair. Unfortunately, cognitively impaired older adults may be denied this means of independent mobility. There is concern that these adults are unable to drive a powered wheelchair safely or properly. Intelligent wheelchairs offer an approach to address this problem. This research outlines the development and evaluation of an Intelligent Wheelchair System (IWS) that is proposed to make powered wheelchairs safer and easier to use for cognitively impaired older adults. The IWS has anti-collision and navigation functions. Hardware results show a 1000% increase in computational speed compared to the previous IWS. Clinical results with dementia patients show that the IWS has the potential to increase safety by reducing frontal collisions, and by promoting safe completion of movement tasks. Usability of the system may be an issue.

The aim of this project is to provide a manual wheelchair simulator for advanced wheelchair research within Toronto Rehabilitation Institute‘s Challenging Environment Assessment Laboratory (CEAL). To achieve this, a comprehensive mathematical model of the wheelchair/user system and a fully adjustable physical interface (which mimics various wheelchair configurations) have been developed. The mathematical model is unique in its ability to predict complex motions such as wheelies, and is able to update the wheelchair‘s position in a virtual environment, and calculate the force-feedback required for simulating various slopes and surfaces. The physical interface is used to measure the inputs required by the mathematical model (hand-rim input torques, hand and torso positions, and user centre-of-mass position), and utilizes servo motors to provide force-feedback at the wheelchair‘s hand-rims. Preliminary results comparing real-world wheelchair motion data to the mathematical model‘s predictions are presented, along with the physical interface design and mathematical model development.

The overall goal of this research is to improve the use of seated tilt to increase function, health and quality of life for people using power wheelchairs. Specifically, the objective of this dissertation is to evaluate the biomechanical responses to seated full body tilt and their relationships to the actual use of tilt-in-space wheelchairs. In the first phase of this study, researchers remotely monitored how 45 fulltime power wheelchair users used their tilt-in-space systems. Participants spent an average of 12.1 hours in their wheelchair each day. They spent more than 2 hours seated at positions greater than 15° and performed tilts of 5° or greater every 27 minutes, but rarely performed tilts past 30°. Two distinct types of tilt behavior were identified: uni-modal (staying at a single position more than 80% of the time) and multi-modal (staying at a single position less than 80% of the time). Participants in the multi-modal group tilted significantly more frequently (4 times per hour) than the uni-modal group, and did not have a single typical position. Participants without sensation were more likely to exhibit uni-modal behavior. In the second phase of this study, researchers used interface pressure measurements and laser Doppler flowmetry to study changes in localized loading and superficial blood flow at the ischial tuberosities across different amounts of tilt. Eleven participants with spinal cord injuries were studied in a laboratory setting. Results showed that biomechanical responses to tilt were highly variable. Pressure reduction at the ischial tuberosity was not present at 15°, but did occur with tilts to 30° and greater, and could be explained by the tilt position and upright pressure. Unlike pressure, blood flow increased with all tilts from an upright position, but did not increase when tilting from 15° to 30°. Only 4 of 11 participants had a considerable increase (≥10%) in blood flow at 30° tilt, whereas 9 participants did during maximum tilt (i.e., 45°-60°). Based on the results of this study, tilting for pressure reliefs as far as the seating system permits is recommended to maximize the potential for significant blood flow increases and pressure relief.

Diploma thesis deals with design of electric wheelchair. Final product is standing on the bases from the designer and technical analysis. The main goal is to create electric wheelchair with a charakteristic appearance, that will respect user health condition and ergonomic and technical parameters as well.

No description available.

Thesis (MScSportSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine what skills and tactics distinguish local level competition from top level competition in wheelchair rugby, through the use of games analysis. Eighteen games were filmed and analysed at three different levels of competition (local club level, regional level and international level). A five-level category set was developed to generate statistics related to successful and unsuccessful performance .. Results revealed that games play at local club and regional level in South Africa were dominated by turnovers and poor ball handling skills. Wheelchair mobility also was a factor in unsuccessful play. Basic tactical play, especially on defense, was also a major cause for concern at these levels. The difference between the South African national team and three other top international teams was not the distribution of reasons for success, but rather the frequency of success rate. South Africa was successful only 45% of the time in their performance of skills while international teams were successful 77% of the time. lt was evident in this study that the standard of play in the local club and regional level in South Africa reflects on their international performance. Ball possession is frequently lost to poor passing and poor wheelchair mobility. Turnovers are more often the result of poor passing by the opponents, rather than good defense. Successful goal inbounds and side inbounds plays are too often the result of poor defense rather than good offensive play. This study demonstrates that games analysis can be a helpful tool in determining the reasons for success and lack of success during wheelchair rugby. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om deur middel van die ontleding van rolstoelrugbywedstryde te bepaal watter taktieke en vaardighede in klub- en topvlakkompetisie onderskei kan word. Agtien wedstryde is op drie verskillende kompetisievlakke (klub-, streek- en internasionale vlak) verfilm en ontleed. 'n Vyfvlak kategoriestelsel is ontwerp om die suksesvlak, al dan nie, statisties in al drie kompetisievlakke aan te dui. Die resultate dui dat wedstryde op klub- en streeksvlak deur swak balhantering en verlies van balbesit (turnovers) gekenmerk word. Onvoldoende vaardigheid in rolstoelmobiliteit en tekorkominge in die taktiek van basies verdedigende spel was ook bydraende faktore. Die verskil tussen die Suid-Afrikaanse rolstoelrugbyspan en drie ander top internasionale spanne, was nie soseer verskillende oorsake vir onsuksesvolle spel nie, maar eerder die mate (hoeveelheid) sukses wat behaal is deur vaardige en taktiese spel. Die Suid-Afrikaans span was slegs 45% suksesvol in hul vaardighedsuitvoering, terwyl die internasionale spanne 'n 77% suksessyfer behaal het. Die studie dui verder aan dat die spelstandaarde wat op klub- en streeksvlak gehandhaaf word, neerslag vind in die Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale span. Hier word balbesit dikwels verloor as gevolg van swak aangee en swak rolstoelbeweeglikheid. Die verkryging van balbesit (turnovers) is meer dikwels as gevolg van swakbalhantering (aangee) deur die opponenete as goeie verdediging deur die Suid-Afrikaanse span. Suksesvolle afgooie na die aanteken van 'n doel, asook suksesvolle kant-ingooie, is eerder die resultaat van swak verdediging deur die opponente as goeie aanvallende spel. Die studie bewys dat die verfilming en ontleding van wedstryde, 'n waardevolle hulpmiddel kan wees vir bepaling van redes vir sukses, aldan nie, in rolstoelrugby.

Many mobility impaired users are unable to operate a powered wheelchair safely, without causing harm to themselves, others, and the environment. Smart wheelchairs that assist or replace user control have been developed to cater for these users, utilising systems and algorithms from autonomous robots. Despite a sustained period of research and development of robotic wheelchairs, there are very few available commercially. This thesis describes work towards developing a navigation system that is aimed at being retro-fitted to powered wheelchairs. The navigation system developed takes a systems engineering approach, integrating many existing open-source software projects to deliver a system that would otherwise not be possible in the time frame of a master's thesis. The navigation system introduced in this thesis is aimed at operating in an unstructured indoor environment, and requires no a priori information about the environment. The key components in the system are: obstacle avoidance, map building, localisation, path planning, and autonomously travelling towards a goal. The test electric wheelchair was instrumented with the following: a laptop, a laser scanner, wheel encoders, camera, and a variety of user input methods. The user interfaces that have been implemented and tested include a touch screen friendly graphical user interface, keyboard and joystick.

Mobility is something able-bodied people take for granted. Approximately 132,500 people in the United Kingdom have disabilities which permanently confine them to a wheelchair; 40,000 of these require a powered wheelchair. The opportunity to lead a normal life and be accepted as an equal by the able-bodied population is limited by their reduced mobility. As much freedom of movement as possible is therefore crucial for these people. Powered wheelchair users' mobility depends upon the manoeuvrability of the chair. For optimum manoeuvrability a chair must be capable of moving in any direction. Currently no omni-directional powered wheelchairs are commercially available. This thesis describes the design and deVelopment of a powered base unit for a wheelchair, controlled to instantaneously move in any direction. The novelty is principally represented by the innovative design and configuration of four omni-directional roller wheels* (LUMAN wheels) which, when individually controlled, produce the omni-directional movement of the base unit. Further novelty within the design is a set of bi-directional angled roller couplings that simultaneously disengage the wheels from the motors, via a cable linkage mechanism, and simple control system. Mathematical data models illustrate the theoretical performance of the wheel configuration, and a prototype base unit is tested to prove these hypotheses.

Em essência, esta tese traz um compêndio técnico para auxiliar no projeto de cadeira de rodas de propulsão manual, visando à ampliação eficiente da ergonomia e da mobilidade dos usuários. Essas recomendações foram elaboradas a partir de uma ampla revisão da literatura e da aplicação de um teste de usabilidade com um referencial tecnológico de cadeira de rodas. Os conceitos teóricos que fundamentam esta tese abrangem o contexto histórico e técnico da deficiência, as premissas éticas para o design de produto, as recomendações de projeto já consolidadas pela literatura científica, os aspectos da facilidade de uso no âmbito do design centrado no usuário, o desenvolvimento motor da pessoa com deficiência, a biomecânica da propulsão manual e as respectivas formas de manejo desse equipamento. A sistemática metodológica da pesquisa foi fundamentada em três abordagens. Na primeira selecionamos um referencial tecnológico a partir de uma amostra de 101 modelos de cadeiras de rodas disponíveis no mercado brasileiro. Depois de escolhido o produto, aplicamos um teste de usabilidade, levando em consideração a norma ISO 20282-2:2006(E), que possibilitou verificar o grau de satisfação e comprovar que as cadeiras de rodas, são ineficientes para atender às necessidades ergonômicas e de mobilidade dos usuários. Participaram dessa pesquisa 43 sujeitos de ambos os gêneros, com idade média entre 31 e 37 anos. E, finalmente, com o uso do software Kinovea analisaram-se os diferentes padrões do movimento da propulsão manual. Nesta última abordagem, estabeleceram-se parâmetros cinemáticos, temporais, antropométricos e posturais, que serviram para enriquecer e consolidar novas recomendações de projeto. Essas recomendações abrangem os cinco sistemas que compõem uma cadeira de rodas: (a) sistema de propulsão, (b) deslocamento, (c) apoio para o corpo, (d) estrutural e (e) morfológico. Por fim, foram traçadas reflexões metodológicas de projeto, uma prospecção do futuro das cadeiras de rodas no Brasil e algumas sugestões de pesquisas no campo do design para a saúde, as quais surgiram durante o desenvolvimento dessa investigação. / In essence, this thesis brings a technical compendium to assist in the design of manual wheelchair propulsion, aiming the efficient expansion of ergonomics and user mobility. These recommendation were development from an extensive literature review and application of a usability test with a technological reference wheelchair. The theoretical concepts that underlie this thesis cover the historical and technical context of disability, the ethical assumptions for product design, the design recommendations already established in the scientific literature, the aspects of ease of use under the user-centered design, the motor development of the disabled person, the biomechanics of manual propulsion and related forms of handling such equipment. A systematic methodological research was based on three approaches. The first selected a technological reference from a sample of 101 models of wheelchairs available in the Brazilian market. After select the product, apply a usability test taking into the ISO 20282-2.2006 (E) which enabled us to verify the degree of satisfaction and demonstrate that the wheelchairs are inefficient to attend the ergonomic necessity and mobility of users. In this study 43 subjects took part of test, both genders, on average between 31 and 37 years. Finally, using the software were analyzed Kinovea different patterns of motion of manual propulsion. In the last approach, settled parameters, temporal, anthropometric and postural which served to increase and consolidate new design recommendations. These recommendations cover the five systems that set a wheelchair: (a) propulsion system, (b) displacement, (c) support for the body, (d) structural and (e) morphology. Finally, methodological reflections project, an exploration of the future of wheelchairs in Brazil and some suggestions for research in the field of design for health, which arose during the development of this research.