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M. Puchinger, N. Babu Rajendra Kurup, M. Gföhler:
"A Test Rig for Investigating Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Devices";
Talk: Technically Assisted Rehabilitation 2017, Berlin; 03-09-2017 - 03-10-2017; in: "Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering", M. Puchinger, N. Babu Rajendra Kurup, M. Gföhler (ed.); De Gruyter, Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering - Abstracts - TAR-Conference 2017 - Berlin, March 9-10 (2017), ISSN: 1862-4871; 12.

The developed wheelchair based test rig allows analysing and comparing alternate hand driven mechanisms for wheelchair propulsion including propulsion efficiency as well as loads on the musculoskeletal structure. A controlled brushless motor combined with a fly wheel mounted on a normal wheelchair is used to simulate the acceleration and deceleration phases as well as the resistance power. Propelling the wheelchair by using the push rim or an attached front drive, the motor generates a resistance torque that is transmitted via timing belts to the push rim wheels and front drive pulleys. A motor integrated hall sensor is used to control the motor as well as to provide important speed information for the software. First tests on healthy subjects have shown that the test rig provides conditions very close to reality and both the various mounting possibilities for hand propelling devices as well as its connectivity have been proved useful.

Rollstuhlprüftstand, Wheelchair Test Rig, Rehabilitation, rehabilitation, upper limb therapy

http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2017-100

https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/cdbme