Independent mobility is important, but some wheelchair users find operating existing manual or powered wheelchairs difficult or impossible. Challenges to safe, independent wheelchair use can result from various overlapping physical, perceptual, or cognitive symptoms of diagnoses such as spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular accident, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cerebral...

We have developed an intelligent single switch scanning interface and wheelchair navigation assistance system, called ISSWN, to improve driving safety, comfort, and efficiency for individuals who rely on single switch scanning as a control method. ISSWN combines a standard powered wheelchair with a laser rangefinder, a single switch scanning interface and a computer. It provides the user with c...

BACKGROUND Wheelchairs allow users to realise basic human rights and improved quality of life. South African and international documents guide rehabilitation service delivery and thus the provision of wheelchairs. Evidence indicates that rehabilitation policy implementation gaps exist in rural South Africa. OBJECTIVES The aim of this article was to explore the extent to which wheelchair servi...

Wheelchair locomotion is an important form of mobility for many individuals with spinal cord injury. However, manual wheelchair propulsion can lead to upper-limb pain and can be very inefficient. This has led investigators to apply biomechanics to the study of wheelchair use. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the frequency content of the motion of both hands during two speeds o...

Intelligent wheelchairs can help increase independent mobility for elderly residents with cognitive impairment, who are currently excluded from the use of powered wheelchairs. This paper presents three case studies, demonstrating the efficacy of the NOAH (Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance Help) system. The findings reported can be used to refine our understanding of user needs and help identify...