Global ETD Search
Search theses and dissertations gathered from participating repositories worldwide. Every result links back to the library that holds it. No account is needed.
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Showing 1 to 20 of 52 for “"Wheelchairs"”.
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Enabling environments : people, wheelchairs and standards
Designing environments to accommodate people in wheelchairs is far more than ramps and wide toilet stalls built according to the state building code. This study attempts to illuminate the functional imperatives behind certain standards (especially relating to spinal cord injuries) and to show how …
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Driving by Speaking: Natural Language Control of Robotic Wheelchairs
While many people use electric wheelchairs to enhance their mobility, there are groups who cannot due to age, injury, or cognitive impairment. A voice-operated smart wheelchair would greatly enhance the self-mobility of these users. This thesis presents a method to parse natural language commands …
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The Economic Impact of Wheelchairs for the Disabled in Ethiopia
<p>Abstract: How do wheelchairs impact income and the possible channels of employment status and time allocation for the physically disabled? In order to improve opportunities for people with disability, it is imperative to know the effect that a wheelchair has on the lives of the disabled. …
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The Evaluation of Universal Design Kitchen Features by People in Wheelchairs
… design kitchen features by people using wheelchairs. The study examined the features of the GE Real Life Design Kitchen in the Center for Real Life Design at Virginia Tech and determined which universal design features were beneficial to users in wheelchairs. The specific objectives were: …
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Development of an obstacle detection and navigation system for autonomous powered wheelchairs
… of this research is to automatize powered wheelchairs for children who are impacted by conditions such as cerebral palsy. Maneuvering a powered wheelchair with a joystick is difficult and painful for users who have a high level of cerebral deficiency and other chronic conditions. The …
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Design and evaluation of an automatic gear-shifting system for manual wheelchairs
… system (AGS) for manually propelled wheelchairs. The AGS has three speeds – first gear: for ascending slopes or traversing compliant surfaces, second gear: traditional direct-drive for everyday situations, and third gear: for improved ergonomics during fast propulsion. The AGS is …
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Locally manufactured wheelchairs in Tanzania : Do they meet the needs of Tanzanian wheelchair users?
Access to suitable wheelchairs may seriously impact the ability of people with physical disabilities to integrate into regular community life. The overall aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the needs of users of wheelchairs manufactured locally in Tanzanian are met. The specific …
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Force guided docking control of an omnidirectional holonomic vehicle and its application to wheelchairs
Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1997.
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Design and effects on handrim kinetics of an automatic gear-shifting wheel for manual wheelchairs
… as a result of these conditions. However, geared wheelchairs have been shown to decrease shoulder pain in MWCUs. Therefore, prototypes of 5-speed automatic gear shifting (AGS) wheels for wheelchairs have been developed. The automatic transmission on the AGS system senses the translational speed of …
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Identifying fall prevention and management needs of people post-stroke who use wheelchairs and scooters
People post-stroke who use wheelchairs or scooters (WC/S) for mobility represent an understudied and underserved population in fall prevention research. While falls are widely documented among people post-stroke who are ambulatory, little is known about fall incidence, consequences, contributing …
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Modelling the crashworthiness of specialist wheelchair devices
… or both. To cater for such equipment the wheelchairs have to be modified to some degree and sometimes completely custom made. In performing modifications to the wheelchairs the Rehabilitation Engineering Unit take on the manufactures responsibilities, one of which is to ensure that the …
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Wheelchair use in less resourced settings: a study on research quality, wheeled mobility in rural areas, and the user experience in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
… people in the developing world are in need of wheelchairs compared to other mobility aids (e.g., prosthetics). Wheelchairs currently being manufactured in less resourced areas are rarely designed to withstand rural conditions with poor infrastructure, which leads to increased rates of product …
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Sensor-Based Methods for Characterizing Technology Impact in Low-Resource Settings
… studies where this system is used to evaluate wheelchairs, improved cookstoves, and evaporative coolers. The wheelchair case study in Indonesia compares the performance of different wheelchairs ranging in cost from $100 to $300 and finds little variation between improved wheelchairs in …
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USING THE XBOX KINECT TO DETECT FEATURES OF THE FLOOR SURFACE
… have brought about the development of smart wheelchairs to assist disabled people, allowing them to be more independent. Because these robots have a human occupant, safety is the highest priority, and the robot must be able to detect hazards like holes, stairs, or obstacles. Furthermore, to …
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Development of folding three-wheeled wheelchair frame for the Developing World
Currently, wheelchairs in developing countries are supplied both through donations from NGOs and local wheelchair workshops in these countries. A popular type of wheelchair manufactured by these workshops is a three-wheeled wheelchair, which has a long wheel base and third castor wheel in front of …
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Conceptual Design and Simulation of An Inverted Pendulum Wheelchair
The need to develop advanced wheelchairs especially for improving better mobility and comfort to help disabled people has led to an investigation into spherical inverted pendulum wheelchair concept. The wheelchair's concept is based around the dynamic and control of spherical inverted pendulum.The …
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Wheelchair Selection: Social Perspectives and Their Potential Impact on the Disabled
… terms the respondents were found to select wheelchairs that were similar to those of their friends who were also in wheelchairs. Looking at the person(s) who helped the respondents select their wheelchair, no correlation was found for wheelchair type selected and the individuals who aided in …
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Barriers experienced by people with permanent locomotor disabilities: a case study in Lotus River
… that of their caregivers by providing them with wheelchairs, mobility aids, assistive devices and concrete ramps and pathways; and propose a model Integrated Intervention Programme that could be used in similar disadvantaged communities throughout South Africa. Includes bibliographical references …
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Redesign of the double hand rim modification of the "Whirlwind" Wheelchair for manufacture in developing nations
… It provides both an affordable source of quality wheelchairs for the populace as well as a source of employment. J.A. van Alphen and D.R. Arbib made modifications to the original Wheelchair design so that it would be usable by hemiplegics. However, on manufacture in Duranguito, Mexico, the chair …
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Social Construction of Technical Aids - Personal Meaning and Interactional Effects of Disability and Assistive Devices in Everyday Life
… of active rigid-frame ultra light-weight wheelchairs was reported, using data on 278 prescribers in Sweden. Prescribers emphasised self-image, design, appearance and aesthetics. Even though prescribers want to prescribe an optimal wheelchair, they may lack the possibility to do so due to: …
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