Design, construction and testing of an innovative mechanism for manual wheelchair propulsion

The concern for people with disabilities who are users of wheelchairs has become a dynamic research area in the past several years. As part of this research, new and innovative mechanisms that give the manual wheelchair users a mechanical advantage, and allow them to operate a standard wheelchair with less effort and muscle strain are being developed.;An innovative mechanism has been conceived, designed, built, and tested. It allows the user to propel a standard wheelchair in both the push and pull strokes of the handle. This new design will allow for a more symmetric muscle development of the shoulder and upper-arm complex, and should reduce muscle (skeletal) injuries. A prototype of the innovative mechanism was built and retrofitted onto a standard manual wheelchair, and a portable wheelchair testing station was designed and fabricated to allow for human testing comparative measurements between a standard wheelchair and the innovative mechanism.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2002

Author dc:creator

• Burke, Thomas S., Jr.

Contributors dc:contributor

• W. Scott Wayne.

• Mechanical engineering
• Biomedical engineering

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1521

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-2524