Power wheelchairs are essential for many individuals with mobility impairment. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of bimanual gliding (BG) and conventional joystick (CJ) control in an indoor environment, with application to (1) wheelchair driving performance (i.e., practice time, completion time, and driving deviation) and (2) muscle activity of the upper limbs. Th...

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of wheeled mobility devices differed with respect to age, gender, residential setting, and health-related factors among older adults. A total of 723 adults ageing 60 and older are representing three cohorts, from nursing homes, the Center for Assistive Technology, and the wheelchair registry from the Human Engineering Research Laborator...

Two wheelchairs, one manual, one electrically powered, were instrumented with strain gages and operated over various laboratory terrains. Both wheelchairs were folding models with cross tubes pinned together at the center. The wheelchairs were operated on a constant speed treadmill with no bump, and with 0.953 cm (0.375 in) and 1.6 cm (0.625 in) dowels simulating bumps. The wheelchairs were als...

Demand for wheelchairs is increasing with growing numbers of aged and disabled persons. Manual wheelchairs are the most commonly used assistive device for mobility because they are convenient to transport. Manual wheelchairs have several advantages but are not easy to use for the elderly or those who lack muscular strength. Therefore, handrim-activated power-assist wheelchairs (HAPAW) that can ...

Although less common than conventional front caster wheelchairs, rear caster wheelchairs are still in use for several reasons. Many people find manual rear caster wheelchairs easier to maneuver indoors at slow speeds. This is especially true when the user attempts to maneuver the wheelchair very close to an object, such as a table. Electric wheelchairs often have rear casters to accommodate for...

This study determined and compared wheelchair mobility patterns for older adults during an organized sporting event and within their community. In July 2008, 39 veterans participating in the 28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games (Omaha, Nebraska) completed the study. Of these, 26 were manual wheelchair and 13 were power wheelchair users. We collected wheelchair-related mobility data using whe...