Prototyping, Testing, and Redesign of a Three-Wheel Trekking Wheelchair for Accessible Tourism Applications

Applied Sciences

Ileana Bodini¹  Gabriele Baronio¹  Stefano Uberti¹  Barbara Motyl² 

[1] Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy;Politechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy;

关键词: trekking wheelchair;    hiking wheelchair;    disabled people;    design methods;    experimental testing;    user-centered design;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app11209641

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This work is part of the project called “Gölem project”, started in 2017, about special devices developed to enable the so-called Accessible Tourism. This project aims to design and develop a trekking wheelchair for people with impaired mobility. After an initial phase of design and prototyping, the testing phase has now begun. The objective is to validate several aspects of the design, concerning basic kinematics and dynamics, passenger comfort and physical effort of the carriers. This paper describes the development of qualitative tests for drivability and balance validation of this first prototype. At this stage, a list of features to be investigated was made, suitable trekking paths were chosen, and qualitative experimental field tests were performed. Then, the design of the prototype was modified according to these first experimental results, to improve the wheelchair characteristics. The prototype is now undergoing the modification phase, then further testing will be performed with the use of specific instrumental devices to evaluate the wheelchair itself and to perform the kinematic, dynamical, and comfort characterization.

【 授权许可】

Unknown