Problem: Designing the user experience is a growing trend in product design; however this trend has not greatly benefited people with impairments and disabilities. There are no practical tools to broadly assist with this issue. There is a need for standardized measures to quantify impairment, a model to predict how designs may perform and a need for data regarding how people with impairments interact with consumer technology. Purpose: To conduct a usability analysis with an industry partner on their powered wheelchair controller using participants with varying impairments. The industry partner was seeking better insight into the benefits of formal user testing. Method: Forty consenting adults were given a score representing their level of impairment using six measures from the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). These measures were identified by the researcher to affect interaction with a device. Performance was measured by time taken to complete tasks, errors made, reported task difficulty and reported controller usability. Results: Performance was reduced in participants with a higher ICF score and age. An ICF score less than or equal to 2 was 117 times more likely to not complete the tasks, greater than or equal to 3 was not able to complete the experiment. Age >50 years took an average 79 seconds longer than <35 years to complete a task and reported greater difficulty, more errors and a lower usability for the controller. Implications: Low to moderate levels of impairment has a significantly negative effect on the usability of common devices. Difficulties were mostly cognitive with participants unable to create an accurate mental model of the system. Participants with lower performance tended to be overly optimistic about their abilities. Mistakes were the greatest source of error followed by lapses and almost no reported or observed slip errors. Original Contribution: The ICF has never been used as a metric for usability testing. This study successfully applied the ICF alongside other measures to prove its validity. Based on the results and current literature the Task Process Model was created to provide a simple and practical way to describe the interaction of people completing a task of basic to moderate complexity.

Current survey has showed that people with disability need equal work opportunity. Meanwhile, labor shortage is becoming more and more serious in existing manufacturing industry and there is less physical work involved in CNC machine operation. Thus it is a good opportunity for people with disability to work in manufacturing industry as CNC operators. In the preliminary research, observation, interview and domain research were conducted to understand activates of FVMC (Fadal Vertical Machining Center is a type of CNC machine) operators. Researchers found the existing FVMC are very inconvenient to use, because most of them were designed for the general public. Operator's performance was restricted by the poor design of the machines and the work area. As a result, many people, especially wheel chair users have found limited employment opportunities in the manufacturing industry. To address this problem, on one hand, we presented a study on the current FVMC. A Full size FVMC was mocked up and 9 wheelchair users and 6 able-body users participated in this study. They were asked to mimic to finish the tasks relate to FVMC operation. This study also aims at collecting data for universal FVMC design. On the other hand, based on the preliminary research two concept of FVMC design scenarios are also developed and evaluated by two groups of subjects. This study addressed limitations of wheelchair users with respect to CNC operation, especially reaching issues, and collected data about the preferred FVMC settings and design from wheelchair users and able-bodied people. At the end, design guidelines were developed for machine engineers or designers in two aspects: 1) improve currently available FVMC; 2) redesign FVMC that is safer and easier to use. These guidelines will increase the potential of employing wheelchair users alongside able-bodied people in the manufacturing industry.

<p>I denna rapport redovisas arbetsgången för produktutvecklingen av ett rullstolsunderrede med nya design- och konstruktionslösningar. Det slutliga konceptet är ett underrede med två centrala konstruktionslösningar; en hydraulcylinder som medger vertikal sitthöjdsjustering, samt en vaggfunktion i sittplattan som medger ökad balans vid vinkeljustering. Samtliga funktioner på underredet har anpassats för att erbjuda ett enklare och renare ramverk.</p> / <p>This report covers the work procedure for the product development of an undercarriage to a wheelchair, featuring new design- and constructional solutions. The final concept is an undercarriage with two main constructional solutions; a hydraulic cylinder supporting vertical height adjustments and a function which enables the occupant to be tilted forwards or backwards whilst maintaining posture stability. All functions for the undercarriage have been adapted to offer a simpler and cleaner framework.</p>

Bakgrund: Inom fysioterapin ser man på individen utifrån ett bio-psyko-socialt perspektiv. ”International Classification of Function, Disability and Health” (ICF) är ett ramverk för att mäta hälsa ur ett bio-psyko-socialt perspektiv. Kunskapen om hur dans som fysisk aktivitet påverkat personer med ryggmärgsskada är bristfällig. Det saknas kvalitativa studier inom området. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur personer med ryggmärgsskada upplever dans ur ett bio-psyko-socialt perspektiv. Metod: Metoden var kvalitativ och induktiv, baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem informanter: två män och tre kvinnor i åldrarna 21–57 år som dansat i rullstol mellan 2–33 år. Data analyserades med innehållsanalys. Resultat: Informanterna upplevde kroppslig påverkan: Förbättrad styrka, kondition, rörlighet, koordination och balans. Ändrad kroppsuppfattning (fått mer kontakt med kroppen). De hade även fått minskad smärta. De upplevde personlig påverkan: Psykiskt välmående (ökad self-efficacy, förbättrad självkänsla och glädje) samt fysiskt välmående. Dansen hade även varit ångestframkallande. De upplevde att de hade påverkats omgivningsmässigt: Socialt (fått nya vänner, upplevt unik gemenskap och utvecklat socialt samspel). De hade mött acceptans, viss okunskap men fått stöd från närstående. De upplevde påverkan på aktivitets- och delaktighetsnivå: Mer självständig i vardagen (de hade blivit bättre på förflyttningar). Delaktig i samhället (deltar i fler aktiviteter, delaktig i att påverka samhället). Konklusion: Personer med ryggmärgsskada upplever att dans har många positiva effekter bio-psyko-socialt. Fysioterapeuter och andra yrkesverksamma inom vård och omsorg, samt personer med ryggmärgsskada behöver få kunskap om vinsterna av dans som fysisk aktivitet för personer med ryggmärgsskada så att fler kan få del av dansens fördelar. / Background: In physiotherapy you look at the individual through a bio-psycho-social perspective. “International Classification of Function, Disability and Health” (ICF) is an instrument to measure health from a bio-psycho-social perspective. The knowledge about how dance as a physical activity effects people with spinal cord injury is insufficient. Qualitative research in this area is nonexistent.     Purpose: The purpose with the study was to examine people with spinal cord injury’s experiences with dance as a physical activity in a bio-psycho-social manner. Method: The study design was qualitative and inductive, based on semi-structured interviews with five study-participants: two men and three women in the ages 21-57, who had been dancing in wheelchair 2-33 years. The data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results: The participants experienced that dancing had an impact on bodily functions: improved strength, condition, flexibility, coordination and balance. Changes in body perception (more contact with the body). They had also reduced pain. They experienced effects in personal factors: Psychological wellbeing (improved self-efficacy, self-esteem and joy) and physical wellbeing. The dance had also been generating anxiety. They experienced impact on factors involving their surroundings: social (they got more friends, experienced a unique fellowship and developed social interaction skills). They had met acceptance, some ignorance but support from close ones. They experienced impact on their activity and participation: More independent in daily life (they had become better in locomotion). Participating in the community (participating in more activities, participating in having an impact on the community). Conclusion: People with spinal cord injury experience that dancing has many positive outcomes on bio-psycho-social factors.  Physiotherapists and other professionals in health care, and people with spinal cord injury need to get knowledge about the profits of dance as a physical activity for people with spinal cord injury so that more people can take part of the benefits of dancing.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a distribuição de pressão, no assento e no encosto, relacionada à variação do ângulo de tilt da cadeira de rodas e contribuir para uma melhor prescrição de sistemas de adequação postural na posição sentada. Para tanto, estruturou-se uma pesquisa descritiva composta por procedimentos tipo estudos de casos. A pesquisa foi direcionada a usuários com diagnóstico de Paralisia Cerebral, nível motor IV e V (GMFCS) e que necessitam de um melhor posicionamento no sentar. Para as análises, foram utilizadas as almofadas pré-fabricadas que acompanham a cadeira em conjunto com as técnicas de mapeamento de pressão e termografia. As principais variáveis analisadas foram a distribuição de pressão e de temperatura, por meio de diagramas, bem como foram avaliados estatisticamente os respectivos valores médios. Os resultados demonstraram que nenhum dos 15 usuários avaliados apresentou postura adequada no sistema de assento e encosto padrão da cadeira de rodas. A distribuição da pressão mostrou-se inadequada, em geral, com picos importantes atribuídos à falta de estabilidade da pelve e do tronco. A utilização de cadeira de rodas com tilt é indicada, porém, faz-se necessária uma cuidadosa análise desse ângulo, bem como dos suportes de apoio ajustáveis às necessidades individuais. Recomenda-se a personalização das almofadas de assento, de encosto e de apoio de cabeça, através da moldagem do corpo do usuário. Destaca-se que os dados obtidos neste estudo podem auxiliar na identificação das necessidades dos usuários e, consequentemente, no projeto de assentos para cadeira de rodas, proporcionando maior qualidade de vida aos usuários. / The objective of this study is to evaluate the pressure distribution on the seat and backrest related to the angle variations of the wheelchair tilt-in-space. It also aims to contribute to a more suitable prescription of positioning systems. In order to do that, the descriptive research was structured by using case studies. The survey was targeted to users that had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, gross motor function (GMFCS) IV and V who are need of a more appropriate wheelchair seating. Furthermore, for the analysis, the prefabricated chair cushions, the pressure mapping techniques and thermography had been used. The main variables analyzed were the distribution of pressure and temperature, through diagrams, which were statistically evaluated mean values. The results showed that none of the 15 members evaluated had an adequate posture in the standard seating system. The pressure distribution proved inadequate in general with important peaks attributed to the lack of stability of the pelvis and trunk. The use of the tilting wheelchair is recommended. However, it is required a more careful analysis of this angle, as well as the adjustable support brackets to individual needs. It is recommended to customize the seat cushions, backrest and headrest, through the user's body contour. It is noteworthy that the data obtained in this study can help identify the needs of users and consequently the seat design for a wheelchair, providing a higher quality of life to the users.

Following on from Rio de Janeiro 2016, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will present a unique challenge for athletes, needing to prepare and adapt to the potential challenging environmental conditions of 20-27°C and ~73% relative humidity. It is well known that during exercise in hot and/or humid climates, able-bodied athletes experience an increase in thermal strain and a reduction in performance compared to cooler/drier conditions. Yet these conditions prove even more problematic for athletes, who as a consequence of their impairment have a dysfunctional thermoregulatory system, such as athletes with a spinal cord injury (SCI). To date, the thermoregulatory responses of athletes with an SCI have been an under-studied area of research. To gain a greater understanding of how heat balance is altered in individuals with an SCI and the thermoregulatory consequences as a result, studies need to first be conducted at rest, removing the additional metabolic heat production from exercise. Although a large majority of athletes with an SCI compete indoors in wheelchair court sports (e.g. wheelchair basketball and rugby), exercising even in these climate-controlled environments has been shown to place these athletes under considerable thermal strain. In light of this, it is remarkable that existing research on the thermoregulatory responses of athletes with an SCI during exercise is scarce, especially studies encompassing real-world sporting environments. Athletes with high level lesions (tetraplegia, TP) are a particularly under-studied population group shown to have a greater thermoregulatory impairment than individuals with low level lesions (paraplegia, PA) during continuous exercise. Thus the aim of this thesis was to investigate the thermoregulatory responses of athletes with an SCI at rest and during real-world sporting scenarios, with specific focus on athletes with TP. Study 1 aimed to determine how evaporative heat loss is altered, as a result of an SCI, compared to the able-bodied (AB), and the effect lesion level has on this response. The results provide evidence that in individuals with TP, even at rest, evaporative heat loss is not large enough to balance the heat load, when evaporation is the primary source of heat dissipation. Even though in individuals with PA Tgi increased by a smaller magnitude and they possessed a greater sweating capacity than individuals with TP, at ambient temperatures above Tsk latent heat loss is insufficient to attain heat balance, compared to the AB. To investigate the thermoregulatory responses of athletes with an SCI during real-world sporting scenarios Study 2 examined athletes with TP compared to athletes with PA during 60 min of intermittent sprint wheelchair exercise on a wheelchair ergometer. The study was conducted in conditions representative of an indoor playing environment for wheelchair rugby and basketball (~21°C, 40% relative humidity). Results demonstrated that, despite similar external work, athletes with TP were under greater thermal strain than athletes with PA. Study 3 s novel approach investigated both physiological responses and activity profiles of wheelchair rugby players during competitive match play. Despite players with TP covering 17% less distance and pushing on average 10% slower, they were under a greater amount of thermal strain than players with non-spinal related physical impairments (NON-SCI). Furthermore, this study demonstrated that players with TP that had a larger body mass, larger lean mass, covered a greater relative distance and/or were a higher point player had a greater end Tgi. These data provide an insight for coaches and support staff regarding which players may need greater attention in regards to cooling strategies or breaks in play. The effectiveness of cooling practices currently employed by athletes with TP has not been previously investigated. Study 4 determined the effectiveness of pre-cooling, using an ice vest alone and in combination with water sprays between quarters, at attenuating thermal strain in athletes with TP. Using the activity profile data from Study 3, an intermittent sprint protocol, conducted on a wheelchair ergometer, was used to represent a wheelchair rugby match. The combination of cooling methods lowered Tgi and Tsk to a greater extent than pre-cooling only, despite neither cooling condition having a positive or negative effect on performance. Unexpectedly, the pre-cooling only condition lowered Tgi, compared to no cooling, throughout the subsequent exercise protocol, even though the reduction in Tsk was not long lasting. This thesis provides comprehensive evidence that athletes with TP experience heightened thermal strain during both rest and real-world sporting scenarios compared to the AB, athletes with PA, and within the sport of wheelchair rugby. Athletes with TP should employ practices, such as appropriate cooling methods or alter playing tactics to reduce thermal strain and the likelihood of attaining a heat related injury.

Esta dissertação apresenta contribuições no design de cadeira de rodas como sistema de mobilidade infantil. A proposta visa favorecer as relações interpessoais existentes nos contextos escolares. Em um primeiro momento, a pesquisa obteve dados a respeito de patentes como indicadores de inovação tecnológica. Utilizou-se esse recurso como estratégia de prospecção para a conceituação do Estado da Arte. Ao verificar as informações contidas nas patentes, investigou-se, também, o grau de inventividade existente nos produtos atuais. A ideia foi a de aplicar as melhores práticas no objeto em questão. Posteriormente, efetuou-se um estudo etnográfico para analisar o cotidiano de uma criança com deficiência física, matriculada na Rede Municipal de Educação de Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Com isso, buscou-se compreender o ambiente a ser trabalhado e coletar informações com familiares e profissionais que lidam com essa criança. Paralelo à realização do estudo, foi utilizado um modelo de referência para a estruturação de um recurso assistivo, praticando intensamente as fases de Planejamento, Projeto Informacional, Projeto Conceitual e Projeto Detalhado, em cooperação com a "voz do usuário" e de seus cuidadores. Ainda na fase conceitual, foi desenvolvida uma solução orientada ao contexto escolar, dedicada às séries iniciais. Como desfecho da presente pesquisa, tem-se o desenvolvimento de uma cadeira de rodas infantil, culminando com a confecção de um protótipo que apresenta diferenciais relacionados à mobilidade e interação. / This dissertation presents some contributions to the design of the wheelchair as a children’s mobility system. The proposal aims at facilitating the interpersonal relations that take place in the school environment. At an early stage, the research obtained data related to patents as technological innovation indicators. This resource was used as a prospecting strategy for creating the State of the Art concept. By checking the information contained in the patents, the level of inventiveness of current products was investigated as well. The idea was to apply the best practices to the object in question. Later, an ethnographic research was conducted in order to analyze the daily life of a child with physical disabilities attending the Municipal Education System of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Hence, we sought to understand the setting to be worked on and to collect information from relatives and professionals who deal with this child. Along with the development of this study, a model of reference for the structuring of an assistive resource was used, with an intensive practice of the stages of Planning, Information Project, Conceptual Project and Detailed Project, in cooperation with the “user’s voice” and his caretakers. Still at the conceptual stage, a solution oriented towards the school environment was developed, aimed at the early grades of primary school. The outcome of the present research is the development of a pediatric wheelchair, ending in the production of a prototype that features distinguished improvements related to mobility and interaction.

Esta dissertação consiste em um estudo teórico exploratório sobre o projeto sistemático de sistemas de assento especiais para cadeiras de rodas, com ênfase em seus aspectos conceituais e funcionais. De acordo com os princípios da tecnologia assistiva - que consiste no uso de tecnologias para o atendimento das necessidades de pessoas com deficiência - o objetivo das ajudas técnicas deve ser a promoção da atividade e participação social através da compensação de deficiências, promovendo a funcionalidade. Assim, foi feita uma revisão da literatura a respeito da adequação postural do usuário de cadeira de rodas, e dos fatores que contribuem para sua saúde, sua funcionalidade e seu conforto ou desconforto na posição sentada, permitindo a identificação de suas necessidades explícitas e implícitas. Com o uso da Metodologia de Projeto Sistemático de Pahl e Beitz, da Metodologia de Projeto Axiomático e da Teoria da Solução dos Problemas Inventivos (TRIZ), foi elaborada uma lista de requisitos funcionais através do mapeamento entre o domínio das necessidades do usuário e o domínio funcional do sistema de assento. Em seguida, elaborou-se uma estrutura funcional, demonstrando os principais elementos e conexões funcionais do sistema, sendo por fim comentados e propostos alguns princípios de solução para cada uma das sub-funções principais encontradas, envolvendo a análise de princípios de solução de sistemas existentes e de sistemas análogos em outras áreas tecnológicas. Concluiu-se que a imobilidade é o fator primário que desencadeia os diversos problemas de saúde e funcionalidade do usuário associados ao uso destes sistemas de assento, e que portanto a função principal desses sistemas deve ser a de permitir, facilitar e promover positivamente a alternância freqüente de posição. Além disso, verificou-se o papel fundamental dos fluxos de informação responsáveis pela determinação do propósito homeostático da movimentação, que objetiva a redistribuição contínua das tensões locais nos tecidos, além do favorecimento da ação motora voluntária pela estabilização e mobilização seletiva de movimentos corporais. / This work is an exploratory theoretical study on systematic design of special wheelchair seating systems, emphasizing its conceptual and functional aspects. According to the principles of assistive technology - which consists in the use of technologies applied to the caring of the needs of people with disabilities - the objectives of technical aids should be the promotion of optimal individual functionality. Thus, a literature review has been made on the theme of postural seating clinic, and the factors related to the health, the functionality, and the comfort or discomfort in the sitting position, allowing the identification of many explicit and implicit needs. By using the Systematic Design approach of Pahl & Beitz, complemented by some principles of Axiomatic Design and TRIZ, a functional requirements list has been made, consisting in the mapping between the customer needs in the customer domain and the functional requirements in the functional domain. In the next step, a functional structure has been created, showing the main functional elements and connections of the seating system, followed by the proposal of some working principles regarding the main identified sub-functions, including the analysis of analog technical systems of other technological fields. It was concluded that immobility is the main causative factor leading to the many functional and health problem associated with the sitting position, and therefore the main function of special seating systems must be to allow and actively promote frequent position changes. Moreover, it has become evident that information flows have a capital importance in proper functioning of seating systems, since they convey the homeostatic purpose of the movements being made, in order to continually redistribute and alleviate the local soft tissue deformations, and to promote the selective stabilization and motion of body segments that permit functional motor action.

Espumas de assentos personalizados para cadeiras de rodas se adaptam a anatomia do usuário, no entanto, ao passo que melhoram o posicionamento, podem influenciar negativamente no conforto térmico por aumentar a superfície de contato. O conforto térmico pode ser melhorado com materiais de mudança de fase (PCM), que devem ser aplicados protegidos por um invólucro para impedir seu escape na fase líquida. O invólucro mais comum são as microcápsulas. Assim, o objetivo dessa pesquisa é obter, aplicar e caracterizar microcápsulas com núcleo de material de mudança de fase, mais especificamente o eicosano, em espumas de PU flexível após sua expansão e tecido que recobre o assento, ampliando o efeito termorregulador desse material, reduzindo o tempo de aplicação e desperdício das microcápsulas. Essa é uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada, com técnica de pesquisa de documentação direta através de pesquisa em laboratório, objetivo descritivo e explicativo, com procedimento técnico experimental e abordagem quantitativa. Foram obtidas microcápsulas de eicosano com a variação de diferentes parâmetros e caracterizadas através de MEV, FTIR, granulometria, TGA e DSC. As microcápsulas foram inseridas em amostras de espuma com duas técnicas diferentes (filtração e aerografia) e essas amostras foram analisadas com um termógrafo para verificação do efeito termorregulador gerado. Pode-se concluir que a aerografia proporciona melhor aproveitamento de tempo e de material, ampliando os efeitos térmicos gerados na espuma flexível de PU. Também, o efeito térmico depende não apenas do tipo de microcápsula, mas da quantidade aplicada e sua distribuição pelo material. / Wheelchair custom seats foams can be adapt to the user’s anatomy nonetheless, although it can improve positioning, it influences negatively in thermal comfort as it increases the contact surface. Thermal comfort can be improved with phase change materials (PCM) that must be applied in a casing to prevent its escape in the liquid phase. The most common casing is the microcapsules. The main objective of this research is to obtain, apply and characterize PCM microcapsules, more specifically eicosane, into flexible PU foams after expansion and fabric that recovers the seat, enlarging the thermoregulatory effect of this material, reducing application time and microcapsule waste. It is a study of applied nature, research technique of direct documentation through laboratory investigation, descriptive and explanatory objective, and experimental technical procedure generating quantifiable data. Eicosane microcapsules were obtained varying different parameters and characterizes through SEM, FTIR, granulometry, TGA and DSC. The microcapsules were inserted into foam samples with two different techniques (filtration and aerography). These samples were analyzed through a thermographer to verify its thermoregulatory effect. It can be concluded that aerography has better use of time and material, improving the overall thermal effect in PU foam. Additionally, the thermal effect depends not only in the type of microcapsule, but also in quantity applied and distribution through out the material.

Pessoas com deficiência motora têm poucas opções na seleção de cadeiras de rodas que atendam suas necessidades de deslocamento, comodidade e segurança para a realização das tarefas da vida diária, principalmente com as tecnologias assistivas disponíveis no Brasil. Com o intuito de auxiliar os cadeirantes, facilitando seus deslocamentos em vias públicas, foi desenvolvido um sistema de simulação numérica e um protótipo para teste de controle de suspensão autonivelante para aplicar em cadeiras de rodas. Baseado nos resultados numéricos obtidos por meio da simulação, a planta de teste de controle foi montada visando ao estudo do desempenho da dinâmica vertical. O sistema de inclinação lateral e frontal é apresentado com o uso de atuadores para controlar os movimentos de arfagem e rolagem de uma cadeira de rodas motorizada. Os sistemas foram expostos a diversas perturbações e os resultados mostram que o controle pode melhorar o conforto e a segurança de cadeirantes em percursos em vias públicas, dependendo da velocidade de aplicação da perturbação. / People with disabilities have little choice go select a wheelchairs which meets most of the displacement, comfort and safety requirements to perform their daily life tasks, particularly amid assistive technologies available in Brazil. In order to aid disabled persons, facilitating wheelchairs displacements on public roads courses, it was designed and developed a numeric simulation model and a prototype for the test of a wheelchair self-leveling suspension control system. Based upon the numeric results obtained from the model simulation, the control test platform was created aiming to ascertain the vertical dynamics performance. The lateral and frontal tilting system is presented, using actuators to control the leveling and rolling movements of a motorized wheelchair. The system underwent a variety of perturbations and the results demonstrate the control may improve comfort and safety for the wheelchairs displacements on public roads courses, depending on the velocity of application of the perturbation.