Power Add on?

[Lifespeed]

We are a group of engineering students looking to develop a manual wheelchair add on that would give some electric power in addition to operating the wheelchair manually.

We are looking to find out what would be the most important characteristics of such a device?
-What size limitations would be needed?
- What degree of assistance would be desired, fully electric or a motor to assist in pushing a manual chair?
- Is it preferable for the device to attach or detach easily, or would it be acceptable for it to be a permanent addition to the chair? Would the size of the device change this answer?
-What kind of terrain would such a device need to handle?
- Other suggestions or ideas.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[tommylee]

We are a group of engineering students looking to develop a manual wheelchair add on that would give some electric power in addition to operating the wheelchair manually.

We are looking to find out what would be the most important characteristics of such a device?
-What size limitations would be needed?
- What degree of assistance would be desired, fully electric or a motor to assist in pushing a manual chair?
- Is it preferable for the device to attach or detach easily, or would it be acceptable for it to be a permanent addition to the chair? Would the size of the device change this answer?
-What kind of terrain would such a device need to handle?
- Other suggestions or ideas.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Pay extra attention to weight and try to keep it as light as possible.

Stability and being capable of pushing thru turf or gravel,sand, up or down bumps of 4-6 inches would be great if possible.
1/2 mile range on power and power assistance available for getting over bumps or difficult terrain like soft grass would be nice.
If you can make it fit into most cars without any extra equipment, that would be excellent.

I think it would be best to design a whole new chair rather than an add on.
Most wheelchairs available now are terrible and I bet you could do alot better.

Just hop in a common wheelchair and try to get around. Try to cover a few blocks and see how poorly most are designed.
I am sure you will have a better chair if you scrap the standard idea and start over.

Keeping the chair light enough to still be pushed manually by the person in the chair is going to be a difficult trick.


You have a great idea!
I think it would be very liberating to many people and allow many people to stay active longer.
I hope you can figure it out.

Best of luck!!!

[jazzgirl]

Thanks for thinking of us! . Let's see:

...the battery would have to be on the small side so as not to add too much weight to the chair. I have a small chair (because I'm not a big woman).

...I'd like to be able to switch from fully manual to battery assist, when necessary (like when a hill presents itself).

...The size definitely changes the answer to this question (at least it does for me )

...Hills are a problem for me (as I said in my answer to question #2).

I was a dancer decades ago when the MS was here, but not nearly as problematic. I'm still in decent shape, but this disease does eventually take its toll. Think lightweight (like Titanium), but affordable! Good luck, gang!

[bluegiraffe]

Have seen power wheels added to manual wheelchairs where the battery is within the hub of the wheel. The power kicks in when the wheels are rotated. May be a switch that set power or manual.

Understand they are very expensive, and very cool !

[hunterd]

range is a biggie. the ability to traverse rough, uneven terain. clearance of obstacles (i`m an outdoors person) while still at a "normal" height. PRICE!!! enough of a boost in power to help climb over obstacles. durability. keep in mind that most people who use this have limited mobility. manuverability so it can be used indoors as well as outside.

[wkikta]

From June 2010
http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/new...l-wheelchairs/
the pictures are wrong, shows it backwards, since the way they show it, it can't be swung down for access. It is just a Concept, not a Product.

Otto Bock as a few Products that are available now
http://www.ottobock.com/cps/rde/xchg....xsl/5185.html

ZX1 shown at wheelchaireverything.com looks pretty interesting, but would be somewhat heavy.

The Alliance for Technology Access ATA
http://www.ataccess.org/
has a lot of information and a pretty cool game for practice with a Power Chair 'WheelSim' at: ottobock, linked to http://www.lifetool.at/, Austrian, but English button. If you have never used a Chair or Scooter I would recommend it for practice, it is a 15 day free trial.

Jazz, Otto Bock has the Hub Drive that is small, chair can be folded without restriction and it senses when more power is needed and adds it, preset to 1.5 or 3 times manual.

[pocoapoco]

Design ideas for a scooter.

I am so excited that someone had come up with this idea to discuss this topic. I was diagnosed in 94' and have gotten worst with my mobility. I can walk but only with assistance of my walker. I definitely use scooters to get me around stores. I have used all types. I have a Pride scooter, it's three wheeled. Which has been great and I had a lift on the back of my car for it. I had to pay for the lift myself. Medicare just wants you to use the scooter at home.

They don't want you to use it outside the home. Hello, I have a life and like to get out and shop for my own groceries. Anyhow, my design criteria is having a scooter with a good turning radius. A comfortable chair, with a swivel seat. An appropriate basket or duffel bag. Not too much sticking out. I'm a large girl but with no fuss attitude. I'm young and like it to look contemporary, not like it belongs to an old fart. I like good design, the europeans or volkswagen has some good design solutions.

The best thing would be ease of access. I had an excercise bike that I can't get my leg over the seat of the bike and it's much easier to slide into the seat. I use a stepper at physical therapy that I can easily get my body into that one. I believe in the attitude, to keep it simple stupid. The other key, is to not make a heavy scooter. I now have two scooters. One heavier than the other. Unfortunately I had to remove my car lift, because the second scooter just weighed too much and I had to remove it off my car. So I have two scooters, a wheel chair and two walkers and I always resort to the wheelchair to get around. I like the independence a scooter gives me.