SAGE Journals
Browse

Manual wheelchair propulsion cost across different components and configurations during straight and turning maneuvers

Posted on 2020-04-09 - 12:06
Aim

Maneuvering manual wheelchairs is defined by changes in momentum. The amount of effort required to maneuver a wheelchair is dependent on many factors, some of which reflect the design and configuration of the wheelchair.

Objective

The objective of this study was to measure the work required to propel a manual wheelchair configured with three weight distributions, three drive wheels and four casters.

Methods

A novel wheelchair-propelling robot was used as the test platform to measure work while traversing two surfaces using three different maneuvers which were defined to highlight different kinetic energies and energy loss mechanisms.

Results

Overall, propulsion cost decreased with an increase in load on the drive wheels. Pneumatic drive wheels exhibited lower propulsion costs compared to a solid tire. Two casters, a 4″ dia × 1.5″ and a 5″ dia × 1″, exhibited better overall performance compared to 5″ dia × 1.5″ solid and 6″ dia × 1″ pneumatic casters.

Discussion

The results indicate that drive wheel load and types of drive wheels and casters impact propulsion cost and their influences differ across maneuvers and surfaces. The approach is well suited to assess equivalency in components and configurations. Assessment of performance equivalency would empower clinicians and users with important knowledge when selecting components.

CITE THIS COLLECTION

DataCite
3 Biotech
3D Printing in Medicine
3D Research
3D-Printed Materials and Systems
4OR
AAPG Bulletin
AAPS Open
AAPS PharmSciTech
Abhandlungen aus dem Mathematischen Seminar der Universität Hamburg
ABI Technik (German)
Academic Medicine
Academic Pediatrics
Academic Psychiatry
Academic Questions
Academy of Management Discoveries
Academy of Management Journal
Academy of Management Learning and Education
Academy of Management Perspectives
Academy of Management Proceedings
Academy of Management Review
or
Select your citation style and then place your mouse over the citation text to select it.

SHARE

email
need help?