Unique study aims to improve wheelchair mechanics and user satisfaction
Wheelchair users across the UK are being asked to share their experiences for a new study by Staffordshire University.
Engineering and biomechanics experts are collaborating on a unique project which aims to improve wheelchair mechanics and user satisfaction.
Lead Researcher Otis Wyatt explained: “We realised that users of wheelchairs face many difficulties throughout their day which are caused by the wheelchair itself.
“We believe that the development of wheelchairs should include the feedback of the people who use them, as who else can provide more insight than users themselves? If you are a wheelchair user living in the UK, you could help us with our research by completing a short survey.”
Users of both manual and electric wheelchairs are invited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire, which will take approximately 5-15 minutes to complete. It aims to understand the views and experiences of wheelchair users, what difficulties they encounter, and improvements that could be made to wheelchair functionality.
With a background in mechanical engineering, Otis brings knowledge of engineering design to the project. He is collaborating with experts from Staffordshire University’s Centre for Clinical Biomechanics which is internationally recognised for its research focused on improving health, quality of life, and healthcare provision.
Otis added: “Although wheelchairs have evolved over the years, there are some components that haven’t changed much at all. For example, wheelchair tyres have been largely the same for the last 100 years.
“Wheelchairs also require regular maintenance, such as replacing seat cushions or back rests, fixing punctures, and checking brakes. We are interested in all these aspects of wheelchairs that might affect day-to-day use. This will help us identify ways to improve the design of wheelchairs in future and ultimately improve the lives of those who use them.”
To complete the questionnaire, fill it out online or email otis.wyatt@research.staffs.ac.uk to be sent the questionnaire directly.
Healthcare professionals could pass this questionnaire on to their clients who use wheelchairs to help improve wheelchair mechanics and user satisfaction in the future.
The project is supervised by Panos Chatzistergos (Associate Professor in Orthopaedic and rehabilitation Biomechanics, email: panagiotis.chatzistergos@staffs.ac.uk). It is partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is not linked to any commercial company or other commercial interest.
Staffordshire University’s Nicola Eddison, Aoife Healy, and Nachiappan Chockalingam recently shared an exclusive article with AT Today about how gait is affected by changes to the design of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and whether these changes affect the amount of energy used by the child when walking. Read the interesting and insightful article here.