Wheelchair Project

Kayman

Hi, 

I'm designing a rough terrain wheelchair for my design A-level project and would love to fully understand what life is like when in a wheelchair.

Please, could you fill in the following questionnaire to guide my design development. Any additional comments or insight would be most appreciated.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JNVNYK3

Thanks,

Kayman

 

steve51

Hi @Kayman

Good Morning it’s great to meet you this morning.

This looks very interesting indeed.

Yes I will have a good look at this for you.

Hopefully more members will show an interest as well.

NCL

Hello @Kayman 
I was interested in your post because I'm a wheelchair user. 
I think one of the most important things to realise is that every wheelchair user is different. 
I'm temporarily in a wheelchair because I need surgery. Once that's done, I may be able to walk again. In the meantime, sitting in the chair for any length of time is painful. It's a manual chair, so I have to push to get around, and that is difficult because it puts strain on my back - so causes pain. 
Things I find difficult: narrow doorways, any kind of slope (the slope up to the doctor's is too steep without someone pushing me but that counts as accessible!), carrying things, people who walk around carrying mobiles, getting the chair in and out of the car. 
People I know have used manual chairs for longer and get gadgets to solve some of those problems e.g. carrying equipment and lifts to get in and out of the car. A friend in a motorised wheelchair uses a chair permanently because of lower limb paralysis; she is more independent in some ways (she can go up bigger slopes and has a lift) but less in others (no getting out of the chair and using crutches when the pavement is too high). 
So I suppose what I'm saying is, each wheelchair user will encounter different problems and difficulties, and it would be great if chairs were built to be a bit more versatile and were easily adjustable. 
Great project - good luck with it. 

forgoodnesssake

Have you investigated the all terrain chairs that are out there already?  Such as Magic Mobility X8 or Frontier V6?  Worth having a look

Garza

Hi @Kayman have you the opportunity to spend some time in a a wheelchair yourself in different settings, this would be a great start in understanding a little of what it is like and the challenges, one thing that is really frustrating with wheelchair and most disability aids is the price!