Development of the Support System for Wheelchair Use at Boarding and Alighting Trains

Passive Add-On Mechanism for Electric Wheelchairs to Support Step Climbing Using Rider Motion

“…Similarly, Munakata et al's [13] method provides active support for plantar locomotion and step climbing, yet it can only support 10 cm in 120 s. Kim et al's [14] approach can overcome both steps and gaps, enabling train boarding, but its add-on mechanism must be fixed to the station platform. Conversely, Hosaka et al's [15], [16] method requires time to lift the wheelchair, and its add-on mechanism is heavy. The primary drawback of the proposed method lies in the necessity for users to utilize canes to provide force for the step-climbing procedure, as well as the need to stow the canes when not in use.…”

“…Finally, as an example of a mechanism employing solely passive components, Kim et al developed a station platform-fixed add-on mechanism to facilitate boarding a train [14]. Similarly, Hosaka et al proposed a passive add-on mechanism that elevates a wheelchair when the rider applies a reciprocating motion on a lever [15] [16]. These systems enable users to board a train without the need for caregiver assistance or additional power sources, yet they are not suitable for outdoor mobility.…”