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A sports wheelchair for low-income countries

Authier, EL and Pearlman, J and Allegretti, AL and Rice, I and Cooper, RA (2007) A sports wheelchair for low-income countries. Disability and Rehabilitation, 29 (11-12). 963 - 967. ISSN 0963-8288

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Abstract

Purpose. Appropriate wheelchairs for basic mobility needs are still not commonly available in low-income countries, although several organizations are working toward this goal. After basic mobility is secured it is important to provide more diverse assistive technology to allow people with disabilities to more completely participate in society and live healthy lives. Our goal was to design an affordable sports wheelchair that would allow individuals in low-income countries to participate in basketball. Methods. Design requirements established forthe sports wheelchair included: removable anti-tippers, adjustable tension backrest, 24″ wheels, adjustable seat dump, variable camber, 4″ casters, fore-aft axle position, removable bumpers, height adjustable footrest, four wheels, single anti-tipper (pivot), cost less than $125 without wheels, 16″ seat width and backrest height, and nylon upholstery. The wheelchair was designed using 3D modeling, standard materials, and standard tools. Discussion. An affordable wheelchair, versatile enough to be used for a variety of sports and even everyday use, was designed and prototyped successfully. Documentation for the design including step-by-step directions, engineering drawings, and photographs are available at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories website (http://www.herlpitt.org/ intw.htm). Future work on the prototype should include design refinement including adaptations for other sports, and standards testing.


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Details

Item Type: Article
Status: Published
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Authier, EL
Pearlman, Jjpearlman@pitt.eduJLP46
Allegretti, AL
Rice, I
Cooper, RARCOOPER@pitt.eduRCOOPER
Centers: Other Centers, Institutes, Offices, or Units > Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Date: 4 July 2007
Date Type: Publication
Journal or Publication Title: Disability and Rehabilitation
Volume: 29
Number: 11-12
Page Range: 963 - 967
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1080/09638280701240714
Schools and Programs: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences > Rehabilitation Science and Technology
Refereed: Yes
ISSN: 0963-8288
MeSH Headings: Basketball; Cost Control; Developing Countries; Equipment Design; Humans; Wheelchairs--economics
PubMed ID: 17577730
Date Deposited: 24 Sep 2012 20:58
Last Modified: 10 Mar 2021 06:17
URI: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/id/eprint/14417

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