Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion
Self-propelled manual wheelchairs offer several advantages over electric wheelchairs, including promoting physical activity and requiring less maintenance due to their simple design. While theoretical analyses provide valuable insights, laboratory testing remains the most reliable method for evaluat...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/22/10737 |
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| author | Bartosz Wieczorek Maciej Sydor |
| author_facet | Bartosz Wieczorek Maciej Sydor |
| author_sort | Bartosz Wieczorek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Self-propelled manual wheelchairs offer several advantages over electric wheelchairs, including promoting physical activity and requiring less maintenance due to their simple design. While theoretical analyses provide valuable insights, laboratory testing remains the most reliable method for evaluating and improving the efficiency of manual wheelchair drives. This article reviews and analyzes the laboratory methods for assessing the efficiency of wheelchair propulsion documented in the scientific literature: (1) A wheelchair dynamometer that replicates real-world driving scenarios, quantifies the wheelchair’s motion characteristics, and evaluates the physical exertion required for propulsion. (2) Simultaneous measurements of body position, motion, and upper limb EMG data to analyze biomechanics. (3) A method for determining the wheelchair’s trajectory based on data from the dynamometer. (4) Measurements of the dynamic center of mass (COM) of the human–wheelchair system to assess stability and efficiency; and (5) data analysis techniques for parameterizing large datasets and determining the COM. The key takeaways include the following: (1) manual wheelchairs offer benefits over electric ones but require customization to suit individual user biomechanics; (2) the necessity of laboratory-based ergometer testing for optimizing propulsion efficiency and safety; (3) the feasibility of replicating real-world driving scenarios in laboratory settings; and (4) the importance of efficient data analysis techniques for interpreting biomechanical studies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db952f8c9dab4656b7ae4d4bbd9410db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-db952f8c9dab4656b7ae4d4bbd9410db2024-11-26T17:49:58ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172024-11-0114221073710.3390/app142210737Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair PropulsionBartosz Wieczorek0Maciej Sydor1Institute of Machine Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Woodworking and Fundamentals of Machine Design, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, PolandSelf-propelled manual wheelchairs offer several advantages over electric wheelchairs, including promoting physical activity and requiring less maintenance due to their simple design. While theoretical analyses provide valuable insights, laboratory testing remains the most reliable method for evaluating and improving the efficiency of manual wheelchair drives. This article reviews and analyzes the laboratory methods for assessing the efficiency of wheelchair propulsion documented in the scientific literature: (1) A wheelchair dynamometer that replicates real-world driving scenarios, quantifies the wheelchair’s motion characteristics, and evaluates the physical exertion required for propulsion. (2) Simultaneous measurements of body position, motion, and upper limb EMG data to analyze biomechanics. (3) A method for determining the wheelchair’s trajectory based on data from the dynamometer. (4) Measurements of the dynamic center of mass (COM) of the human–wheelchair system to assess stability and efficiency; and (5) data analysis techniques for parameterizing large datasets and determining the COM. The key takeaways include the following: (1) manual wheelchairs offer benefits over electric ones but require customization to suit individual user biomechanics; (2) the necessity of laboratory-based ergometer testing for optimizing propulsion efficiency and safety; (3) the feasibility of replicating real-world driving scenarios in laboratory settings; and (4) the importance of efficient data analysis techniques for interpreting biomechanical studies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/22/10737ergometermotion analysisEMG analysisbiomechanical analysispersonal transportationdisability |
| spellingShingle | Bartosz Wieczorek Maciej Sydor Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Applied Sciences ergometer motion analysis EMG analysis biomechanical analysis personal transportation disability |
| title | Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion |
| title_full | Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion |
| title_fullStr | Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion |
| title_short | Laboratory Assessment of Manual Wheelchair Propulsion |
| title_sort | laboratory assessment of manual wheelchair propulsion |
| topic | ergometer motion analysis EMG analysis biomechanical analysis personal transportation disability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/22/10737 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bartoszwieczorek laboratoryassessmentofmanualwheelchairpropulsion AT maciejsydor laboratoryassessmentofmanualwheelchairpropulsion |