Agility Study

15 able-bodied volunteers as well as 15 full-time wheelchair users contributed to the evaluation of upper-body actuated steering mechanisms in manual wheelchairs. They completed an adapted Illinois Agility Test course 6 times in a steered, as well as 6 times in a conventional wheelchair configuration while force data from both wheels, as well as from the seatpan was recorded wirelessly. In paralell, a qualitative survey was filled in with both groups for an insight into user’s impressions, preferences and suggestions for further improvements.

A central interest in the study was the analysis of the physical demand required from the upper extremities for wheelchair propulsion in the two conditions. Here, a significant - and substantial - difference between the steered and the conventional mode was found: When completing the test course, energy expenditure in the upper extremities was approximately halved by the steering mechanism for able-bodied participants while they were still able to complete the course in about 25% less time. This difference exceeded the project team’s expectations by a large margin.

Collaboration with Pleuni Kirch and Prof. Dr. Riemer Vegter @ University Groningen