User Centered Design of a Wheelchair-Anchored Safety Restraint
By Van Roosmalen, Linda, PhD; Sellers, Jason, BS; Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) 2007 Conference,Publication Date: 2007
Paper describes the design and evaluation of a wheelchair-anchored pelvic belt restraint with a user-friendly, rotary-style buckle mechanism for use by wheelchair users with limited upper-extremity function. The design provides for attachment of an upper torso belt by means of a standard pin connector to comprise a 3-point belt restraint system. The device is designed so as not to interfere with the user’s activities of daily living, to be cost effective, and be aesthetically pleasing to potential users. An early prototype of the design was mounted onto a manual wheelchair and evaluated by individuals with limited upper extremity function. An improved pelvic restraint design was developed based on user input and a solid model of the design was evaluated using Finite Element Analysis. Results show that the pelvic restraint can withstand loading up to 3000 pounds. This paper was presented at the 2007 Annual Conference of the Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number O17014
