Clinical trial NCT00333762: Use of "Smart Wheelchairs" to Provide Independent Mobility to Visual and Mobility Impairments
Official title: Use of "Smart Wheelchairs" to Provide Independent Mobility to Visual and Mobility Impairments
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Blindness
Spinal Cord Injury
Keywords: aging
blindness
wheelchairs
spinal cord injury
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2006-06-06
Enrollment: 4
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The goal of this project is to evaluate the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) for power wheelchairs and the Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM) for manual wheelchairs in realistic indoor environments with target users performing realistic tasks. We will combine group trials involving individuals who have a visual impairment (but do not have a mobility impairment) with several single-case studio involving individuals who have a visual and mobility impairment. Our long-term objective is to provide independent mobility to veterans with mobility and sensory impairments.

Detailed description: There are currently very few mobility options for veterans who have a mobility impairment and visual impairment, and this population will grow as the number of older veteran's increases. The goal of this project is to evaluate the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) for power wheelchairs and the Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM) for manual wheelchairs in realistic indoor environments with target users performing realistic tasks. We will combine group trials involving individuals who have a visual impairment (and may or may not have a mobility impairment) with several single-case studies involving individuals who have a visual and mobility impairment.

The key questions that will be addresses by the proposed research are:

Can smart wheelchair technology improve performance on realistic navigation tasks for individuals with visual and mobility impairments?

Will smart wheelchair technology increase the amount of independent travel by individuals with visual and mobility impairments?

Will using a smart wheelchair for an extended period of time diminish a person's ability to operate a "traditional" wheeled mobility aid?

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All participants will be completely blind
* Participants will be able to operate a power wheelchair with joystick control
* Participants will be able to push a manual wheelchair a minimum of 300 yards

Exclusion Criteria:

* Mobility impairment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Time to Complete Trial Wheelchair Course
timeFrame: Two years
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Decatur
country: United States
facility: Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur
state: Georgia
city: Pittsburgh
country: United States
facility: VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: VAPHS
name: Richard Simpson, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: