Title: Wheelchair Stability Assessment System (Wheel-SAS)
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Background Wheelchair users experience many situations that affect wheelchair stability and tipping: ramps, slopes, steps, kerbs, soft ground, accessories such as oxygen cylinders, seating systems and wheelchair modifications. Such situations, coupled with user characteristics (body shape and size) and abilities can often lead to accidents and poor performance. Thus, prescribers have a need to measure stability in order to assess and manage associated risks. The vast majority of the 190 wheelchair services in the UK use a discredited inclined ramp test and only use it when seating systems are prescribed, placing other users at risk. Novel, prototype systems based on load cells have been developed but require significant development work to meet usability, regulatory and performance requirements. Aims This project will develop a load cell system for measuring wheelchair stability, to the point of commercialisation. User, carer and prescriber requirements and experiences will be investigated, to inform the design. Wheelchair users, carers and presribers will be involved in all stages to ensure product relevance through user led design. The design will offer measures of dynamic stability, based on a portable, compact, user friendly product. The product will build upon the current prototype systems which have demonstrated feasibility of measuring static stability. Key features of the design will include the ability to tune individual wheelchairs to meet users needs and expert support for prescribers by capturing prescribing knowledge and offering this through the user interface. Plan of Investigation The study will be addressed through the following work packages: WP0: Establish Project Management and Stakeholder Involvement WP1: Ethics submission and approval WP2: Eliciting prescriber wheelchair stability experiences and needs WP3: Relating Static Stability to Dynamic Stability WP4: Market Analysis. WP5: Rig Design, to develop a prototype rig. Results from WP1,2 & 4 will inform the design, together with current prototype designs. User centred design approach will be adopted WP6: Developing methods of Capturing and Recording Wheelchair Geometry WP7: Software development WP8: User centred clinical investigation (Mdr 2002 SI No 618) and evaluation of the system. Potential Impact There are about 144,000 incidents pa in England involving wheelchair tips and sliding. Without action this number will rise, given increasing levels of participation coupled with rising obesity, which itself presents particular challenges for wheelchair use. Use of the prototype stability test systems suggests there is much to be gained in terms of wheelchair tuning, particularly with powered wheelchairs to improve surface grip and ease of propulsion. The fear of a wheelchair tipping or sliding is very prevalent amongst users leading to anxiety and reduced independence. Developing an improved method of measuring stability will significantly reduce the number of incidents and also improve wheelchair tuning. The market for this device is International.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES;8.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE