The movement of a wheelchair with manual propulsion depends on the kinematics human body and forces exerted by muscles. To design innovative systems, biomechanical parameters resulting from interaction in this anthropotechnical system must be formalised. research objectives were thus adopted: an analysis wheel angle rotation hand movement’s trajectory mathematical formalisation described as fun...

In this pilot study, we assessed wheelchair durability and its effect on user satisfaction. Specifically, we examined the characteristics of the participants' wheelchairs, the types of maintenance and repairs completed, and whether the participants' satisfaction was affected by problems with their wheelchairs. A convenience sample of 130 participants who used wheelchairs as their primary means ...

Many people with disabilities find it difficult or even impossible to use traditional powered wheelchairs independently by manually controlling the devices. Intelligent wheelchairs are a very good solution to assist severely handicapped people who are unable to operate classical electrical wheelchair by themselves in their daily activities. This paper describes a development platform for intell...

We investigated Staphylococcus aureus contamination of the hand rims and handles of wheelchairs for common use on hospital wards by wiping with gauze. Examination of the hand rims of a total of 20 wheelchairs revealed methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and/or methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) on 17 wheelchairs (85.0%), and MRSA on 11 (55.0%). The mean ± SD (range) density of MRSA conta...

Harmonic navigation of multiple low-cost robotic wheelchairs in a topology of wireless sensor nodes that are deployed in a dynamic and crowded indoor environment is a Non-deterministic Polynomial-time hard (NP-hard) problem. To address this problem, we propose a distributed multi-wheelchair global harmonic navigation algorithm. The distinguishing features of the proposed navigation algorithm ar...

The last 15 years have seen electric wheelchairs evolve from slow, indoor-only devices to vehicles that are also useful for outdoor trips of several miles . But while wheelchairs with good outdoor performance are now commercially available, the evolution of the indoor/outdoor wheelchair is by no means complete . There remain important issues of safety, reliability, durability and performance wh...

Autonomous Robotic Wheelchairs in Europe by Spyros G. Tzafestas (National Technical University of Athens) Autonomous robotic wheelchairs (ARWs) represent an important class of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) [1-3] that is receiving increasing attention all over the world. This is due to the strong need of easier wheelchair mobility throughout a longer average life of the handicapped. In the Eur...

Not knowing how to unfold or even sit in a wheelchair the right way can cause catastrophic injury patients, visitors, volunteers, and staff of healthcare facility. Wheelchairs are one most common assistive devices used facilities, from admission discharge. They often found at entrance facility for use by both patients visitors with mobility issues. Hospital transport staff, clinical wheelchairs...