Orientador: Galdenoro Botura Junior / Coorientador: Osmar Vicente Rodrigues / Banca: Fausto Orsi Medola / Banca: Wagner Luis Ferreira / Resumo: Muitas das cadeiras de rodas utilizadas por animais domésticos com problemas locomotores são feitas a partir de materiais improvisados, como canos, rodinhas de brinquedos e diversos materiais reciclados, devido, sobretudo, aos seus baixos custos. Porém, esses aparelhos improvisados podem ter desempenho comprometido e não atenderem às necessidades do animal, até mesmo causarem lesões por não serem devidamente adaptados. Uma das finalidades do Design é solucionar problemas de projeto, como também otimizar o produto e o seu processo de produção, podendo, dessa forma, auxiliar no desenvolvimento de equipamentos para cães com problemas locomotores, cuja área ainda carece de estudos. O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi propor as diretrizes necessárias para a construção de cadeiras de rodas eficientes para cães com problemas de locomoção nos membros pélvicos a partir de tecnologias de Prototipagem Rápida, as quais proporcionam a obtenção de peças com exatidão geométrica ou discrepância desprezível, assegurando maior conforto e melhor funcionalidade, com menores tempo de produção e custos. Esta pesquisa foi dividida em duas fases: (i) pesquisa teórica bibliográfica e (ii) pesquisa prática experimental. Na teórica, foram feitas revisões bibliográficas a respeito dos problemas locomotores em cães e sobre as tecnologias de Prototipagem Rápida, suas aplicações e estado da arte. Já na fase experimental, uma metodologia projetual adaptada de Munari (1981) foi utilizada para confecção e aná... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Many wheelchairs used by domestic animals with locomotion problems are made from improvised materials such as pipes, toy wheels and many recycled materials, due to their low costs. However, these improvised devices can compromise performance and may not attend the needs of the animal, even causing injuries for not being properly adapted. One of Design's purposes is to solve problems within projects, as well as to optimize the product and its production process, and, in this way, to aid in the development of this kind of equipment for dogs with locomotive problems, whose area is still lacking in studies. The present research objective was to propose the necessary guidelines for the construction of efficient wheelchairs for dogs with locomotion problems in the pelvic area using Rapid Prototyping technologies, which provide pieces with geometric accuracy or negligible discrepancy, ensuring greater comfort and better functionality to the dog, with shorter production time and lower costs. This research was divided into two phases: (i) theoretical bibliographic research and (ii) experimental practical research. In the theoretical phase, bibliographical reviews were made regarding the locomotion problems in dogs and about Rapid Prototyping technologies, their applications, and state of the art. In the experimental phase, a design methodology adapted from Munari (1981) was used for the confection and analysis of existing devices, which contributed to the proposal of a model that woul... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This thesis is concerned with the development of virtual Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) and navigation method for wheelchair systems. For virtual HMI, hand gesture recognition is employed, and two different hand gesture recognition algorithms have been developed. One is based on the geometric properties of a hand shape, and the other algorithm is based on the curvature of a hand shape contour. In the hand gesture recognition algorithm using geometric properties of a hand shape, eight non-dimensional parameters are computed and identifies hand shapes by comparing the ranges of the parameters to the statistical range information. This algorithm is invariant at scale, but does not work properly if the forearm of a hand shape is cluttered. The curvature based hand gesture recognition algorithm recognizes hand gestures using a combination of hand shape contour geometry and a non-dimensional quantity derived using the curvatures of the hand shape contour. The algorithm produces a set of signatures of the contour and identifies each hand gesture by finding matched template signatures. This algorithm is not affected by the forearm of a hand shape, but the scaling procedure is required. The developed gesture recognition system is implemented on a wheelchair in two different modes of operations, namely, the manual mode and the map (autonomous) mode. In the manual mode, the user continuously interacts with the wheelchair and controls the speed and the steering using the position and the orientation of hand gestures. In the map mode, the user selects a desired destination by pointing with a hand gesture onto a known map, and then the wheelchair initiates autonomous navigation. For wheelchair navigation, a doorway recognition algorithm and an obstacle avoidance algorithm have been developed. The wheelchair is localised by finding the doorway template in the specified zone. If the doorway recognition algorithm does not detect the doorway, it navigates to find the doorway using the obstacle avoidance algorithm. The obstacle avoidance algorithm finds obstacle edge points using range data and decides a safe passage for wheelchair navigation to find the doorway. Results obtained by implementing the above mentioned algorithms are presented.

Ready to Roll? Understanding Activity, Mobility and Life Satisfaction among Residents Who Use Wheelchairs

No description available.

Thesis (M.Eng.)--University of Louisville, 2008. / Title and description from thesis home page (viewed November 17, 2008). Department of Mechanical Engineering. "December 2008." Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-134).

No description available.

There has been a significant effort to provide disabled persons with increased independence and mobility. The federal government requires that transportation facilities be made accessible to the disabled, and the number of handicapped persons using these facilities is expected to increase significantly in the future. Restraint systems have been required for passenger cars since the 1960s, and considerable effort has been dedicated to increasing public awareness of the benefits of seat belt usage. Little effort has been devoted to the development of restraint systems for individuals who must use wheelchairs as vehicle seats. A survey was conducted in the Central Florida area to determine what types of restraint systems are being used by agencies responsible for the transportation of the wheelchair passengers. A cost analysis was performed which shows that the implementation of effective restraint systems can often be justified on economic grounds. Sled tests have shown that most of the restraint systems available on the market do not provide adequate protection for wheelchair passengers. This document provides a description of many securement products, test results, and recommendation for wheelchair restraint improvements.

Two perspective-view electric wheelchair simulators were developed to enable therapists to prescribe electric wheelchair control interfaces better. The simulators may also be used to train clients to use control interfaces. One simulator presented the user with the visual perspective of sitting in a wheelchair. The other gave the visual perspective of being behind the wheelchair. The simulators were developed on a micro-computer to reduce their cost and promote more wide spread use in the rehabilitation fields. This study was to validate the wheelchair simulators by comparing user performance with the simulators to user performance with an actual wheelchair. Four disabled subjects and four able-bodied subjects navigated the simulators and an actual wheelchair through a similar course consisting of a path the width of the wheelchair. Performance measures relating to safety, such as RMS deviation from the path, number of crossings of the path boundaries, and maximum deviation per trial were obtained for both the simulations and the actual wheelchair driving task. Analyses of variance of these performance measures indicate that mean user performance with the simulators tended to be similar to mean user performance with the actual wheelchair. Correlational analyses suggest that performance with the simulators is predictive of relative performance with wheelchair in straight sections of the course. / Master of Science

<p>Hjälpmedel är ofta en förutsättning för att personer med funktionshinder ska klara av sina</p><p>olika dagliga aktiviteter.Syftet med uppsatsen är att genomföra en jämförelse mellan Örebro län, Västmanland och Södermanland hur tillfredsställda brukarna är med sitt hjälpmedel och service.Resultatet visar</p><p>att majoriteten av brukare i de tre olika länen är tillfredställda med sitt hjälpmedel och service.</p><p>Det högsta medelvärdet visar att brukare i Örebro län var mest tillfredställda med variabeln</p><p>effektivitet och varaktighet, brukare i Västmanland var även de mest tillfredställda med</p><p>varaktighet. I Södermanland visade sig att brukare var mest tillfredsställda med variabeln</p><p>användbarhet.</p>

Hjälpmedel är ofta en förutsättning för att personer med funktionshinder ska klara av sina olika dagliga aktiviteter.Syftet med uppsatsen är att genomföra en jämförelse mellan Örebro län, Västmanland och Södermanland hur tillfredsställda brukarna är med sitt hjälpmedel och service.Resultatet visar att majoriteten av brukare i de tre olika länen är tillfredställda med sitt hjälpmedel och service. Det högsta medelvärdet visar att brukare i Örebro län var mest tillfredställda med variabeln effektivitet och varaktighet, brukare i Västmanland var även de mest tillfredställda med varaktighet. I Södermanland visade sig att brukare var mest tillfredsställda med variabeln användbarhet.