Wheelchair mobility: implications of the design on the kinetics, biomechanics and perceptive aspects.

• Grant number: 16/05026-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Industrial Design - Product Design
• Principal Investigator: Fausto Orsi Medola
• Grantee: Fausto Orsi Medola
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Arquitetura, Artes e Comunicação (FAAC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Anthony Robert Joseph Nicholl ; Guilherme da Silva Bertolaccini ; Luis Carlos Paschoarelli ; Sara Raquel Martins da Silva ; Sérgio Tosi Rodrigues

Abstract

Manual wheelchair mobility has been related to the incidence of upper limbs injuries and limited mobility in uphills, uneven terrains and long distances. From an ergonomic perspective, the wheelchair design influences important aspects of the interface with the user, such as performance, efficiency and comfort. However, the implications of the equipment design on the mobility have been addressed insufficiently and in a context that is not fully representative of the wheelchair mobility in daily routines. Investigating how equipment design influences mobility may support innovative proposals that can reduce the biomechanical demand and improve mobility efficiency. This study aims to investigate the implications of the manual wheelchair design on the kinetics, biomechanics and perceptive aspects of wheelchair mobility in diffferent movement situations. Procedures comprise tests with subjects that will perform mobility activities in diferent terrains, inclinations and trajectories, with different manual wheelchair designs and configurations. It will be evaluated the kinetic variables (forces applied on the wheels - SMARTWheel System), biomechanics (surface electromyography and upper limb motion) and perceptive (perceived exertion). The study procedures will be based on ethical principles and meet the scientific assumptions, with the statistical analysis of the data (p<0.05) and the presentation and discussion of the results. It is expected, with this study, to generate scientific knowledge that may develop the ergonomic fundamentals of the design of manual wheelchairs, thus making it suitable to the users needs and expectations. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BERTOLACCINI, GUILHERME; SANDNES, FRODE; FILHO, IDNEI; PASCHOARELLI, LUIS; MEDOLA, FAUSTO; REBELO, F; SOARES, M. A Descriptive Study on the Influence of Wheelchair Design and Movement Trajectory on the Upper Limbs' Joint Angles. ADVANCES IN ERGONOMICS IN DESIGN (AHFE 2017), v. 588, p. 7-pg., 2018-01-01. (16/05026-6)

ALCOLEA, VITOR; MEDOLA, FAUSTO ORSI; BERTOLACCINI, GUILHERME DA SILVA; SANDNES, FRODE EIKA; AHRAM, T; KARWOWSKI, W; PICKL, S; TAIAR, R. Effect of Added Mass Location on Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Forces. HUMAN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND DESIGN II, v. 1026, p. 7-pg., 2020-01-01. (16/05026-6)

MEDOLA, FAUSTO O.; BERTOLACCINI, GUILHERME S.; SILVA, SARA R. M.; LAHR, GUSTAVO J. G.; ELUI, VALERIA M. C.; FORTULAN, CARLOS A.; IEEE. Biomechanical and Perceptual Evaluation of the use of a Servo-Controlled Power-Assistance System in Manual Wheelchair Mobility. 2018 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MEDICAL ROBOTICS (ISMR), v. N/A, p. 5-pg., 2018-01-01. (16/05026-6)

BERTOLACCINI, GUILHERME DA SILVA; PIRES DE CARVALHO FILHO, IDINEI FRANCISCO; CHRISTOFOLETTI, GUSTAVO; PASCHOARELLI, LUIS CARLOS; MEDOLA, FAUSTO ORSI. The influence of axle position and the use of accessories on the activity of upper limb muscles during manual wheelchair propulsion. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, v. 24, n. 2, p. 311-315, 2018. (16/05026-6)

VITOR ALCOLEA; GUILHERME DA SILVA BERTOLACCINI; RUBENS VENDITTI JUNIOR; FAUSTO ORSI MEDOLA. Propulsion efficiency in wheelchair tennis: a case study on the influence of the racket on the handrim forces. Motriz: rev. educ. fis., v. 26, n. 1, 2020-04-22. (16/05026-6, 17/14177-0)