A pair of step-climbing units for a manual wheelchair user: Passing over several steps using a pair of portable slopes

Abstract

We have developed a pair of step-climbing units that can be installed on a standard manual wheelchair. Many wheelchair users hope to lead an independent life without assistance. The target users of these units are those who can independently lift the front casters of their wheelchairs. The units are installed on the back frames of a wheelchair. Each unit comprises two actuators and has 2 degrees of freedom: telescopic motion and rotational motion. They are lightweight and do not prevent the wheelchair from being folded. Therefore, it is still relatively easy to load a wheelchair fixed with these units into a car. In our earlier project, these units addressed the problem of climbing a single step. In this article, we primarily discuss a strategy that enables wheelchair users to climb stairs comprising multiple steps. We additionally use a pair of portable slopes to achieve this task. Results of experiments where users traveled on a pair of slopes that covered a height of 30 cm over two steps confirm the effectiveness of the design.

Collision avoidance between a wheelchair front wheels and a step wall during step climbing using a care robot

“…The robot supports the wheelchair during this process to prevent the wheelchair from tipping over backward. (8) Both vehicles move forward, and the wheelchair's rear wheels climb the step.…”

“…Numerous research programs aimed at improving wheelchair mobility on steps have been conducted, and the following potential solutions have been investigated: additional legs [2], multiple wheels and variable wheelbases [3], a combination of an adjustable center of gravity (COG) and multiple wheels [4], tracked vehicles [5], an additional driving wheel system [6], and changing the wheelchair posture to facilitate climbing [7]. In addition, Yoshikazu Mori studied a new step climbing and descending strategy using a manual wheelchair equipped with linear actuator mechanisms and a light portable ramp [8].…”

Gölem project: Concept and design of a trekking/hiking wheelchair

“…autonomous paraplegic and non-tetraplegic persons). [8][9][10][11] The third category represents a special type of trekking/hiking wheelchair which is not self-propelled but is intended to be used as a means of transport for people with disabilities or with difficulty in movement, and it can be thought of as a kind of sedan chair with a wheel. 12 - 14 In reference of this last type of chair, in literature, few documents describe their design and development processes or their technical characteristics.…”