An Investigation of Manual Wheelchair Seat Pan and Seat Back Loading Associated With Various Wheelchair Design Parameters Using Computer Crash Simulation
By Ha, DongRan, MS; Bertocci, Gina E., PhD; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Study conducted to investigate the influence of various wheelchair design parameters, including seat back angle, securement location, and seat to back intersection on manual wheelchair seating system loading. The results were expected to assist in the development of a surrogate wheelchair base, which wheelchair seating systems can be attached to for evaluation purposes. A computer model of a 50th percentile male Hybrid III anthropomorphic test device seated in a manual wheelchair during a 30-mile-per-hour frontal impact was developed using a Dynaman 4.0 computer simulation program. A parametric sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the effect of wheelchair design parameters on wheelchair seat pan and seat back loading. Quantitative results are presented in table format. Seat back loading was found to be influenced by all three parameters. The effect of the design parameters on seat pan loading was not found to be substantial. The authors contend that the results of the study could assist in the development of a surrogate wheelchair that could be used to simulate a worst case scenario seating system for clinical evaluations.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
