Towards the Next Generation of Wheelchair Securement -- Development of a Demonstration UDIG-Compatible Wheelchair Docking Device
By Hobson, Douglas A., PhD; van Roosmalen, Linda, PhD; Assistive Technology, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 210-222Publication Date: Winter 2007
Article focuses on the design and testing of a universal docking interface geometry (UDIG)-compatible auto-docking device (ADD) that meets industry transit wheelchair standards. The device requires that adapters be added to wheelchairs that will interface or dock with the vehicle-mounted receptacle device. The purpose of the UDIG is to facilitate docking compatibility between any wheelchair with a UDIG adapter and any docking device in a vehicle that is also UDIG compatible. A prototype ADD has been developed for use in public transit vehicles that meets the rigorous crash test requirements of the International Standards Organization. Follow-up in-vehicle testing indicated the need for design enhancements to prevent movement of an occupied manual wheelchair in excess of the 2-inch maximum requirement stipulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act. A user focus group provided feedback on the utility of the overall universal auto-docking concept, as well as guidance for improvement to control interfaces that would be located in the wheelchair and driver stations.
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 J53760
