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Evaluation of titanium ultralight manual wheelchairs using ANSI/RESNA standards

Liu, HY and Cooper, RA and Pearlman, J and Cooper, R and Connor, S (2008) Evaluation of titanium ultralight manual wheelchairs using ANSI/RESNA standards. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 45 (9). 1251 - 1268. ISSN 0748-7711

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Abstract

Comfortable propulsion and support, light weight, and small dimensions are important features that help preserve upper-limb integrity of manual wheelchair users and improve accessibility. The titanium wheelchair is a product developed in response to these goals, but none of the test results of titanium wheelchairs had been disclosed before this study was performed. We hypothesized that these titanium wheelchairs would be in compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) standards. We tested 12 ultralight titanium rigid-frame wheelchairs (4 models) using ANSI/RESNA testing procedures and compared the test results with previously tested ultralight and lightweight aluminum wheelchairs. All wheelchairs passed the forward braking effectiveness test, but eight wheelchairs tipped backward before inclining to 7° in the rearward braking effectiveness test. All wheelchairs passed the impact strength tests, but six wheelchairs failed in the static strength tests. Three wheelchairs successfully completed the fatigue tests, but the remaining wheelchairs failed prematurely. This group of titanium wheelchairs had less equivalent cycles and value than the ultralight aluminum wheelchairs that were tested in a previous study. The failure modes revealed important design issues of each model. Our results suggest that manufacturers may need to perform more careful analyses before commercializing new products.

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Details

Item Type: Article
Status: Published
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Liu, HY
Cooper, RARCOOPER@pitt.eduRCOOPER
Pearlman, Jjpearlman@pitt.eduJLP46
Cooper, Rcooperrm@pitt.eduCOOPERRM
Connor, S
Centers: Other Centers, Institutes, Offices, or Units > Human Engineering Research Laboratories
Date: 1 December 2008
Date Type: Publication
Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development
Volume: 45
Number: 9
Page Range: 1251 - 1268
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1682/jrrd.2007.12.0204
Schools and Programs: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences > Rehabilitation Science and Technology
Refereed: Yes
ISSN: 0748-7711
MeSH Headings: Aluminum; Electric Power Supplies--standards; Equipment Design--standards; Equipment Failure Analysis--standards; Equipment Safety--standards; Humans; Materials Testing--standards; Statistics, Nonparametric; Titanium; Wheelchairs--standards
PubMed ID: 19319751
Date Deposited: 05 Oct 2012 16:06
Last Modified: 10 Mar 2021 06:19
URI: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15645

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