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Battery Operated wheelchairA motorized wheelchair, powerchair, electric wheelchair orelectric-powered wheelchair (EPW) is a wheelchair that ispropelled by means of an electric motor rather than manual power.Motorized wheelchairs are useful for those unable to propel amanual wheelchair or who may need to use a wheelchair fordistances or over terrain which would be fatiguing in a manualwheelchair. They may also be used not just by people with'traditional' mobility impairments, but also by people withcardiovascular and fatigue based conditions.

Contents

1 History

2 Design

2.1 battery 2.2 Controller 2.4 Seat

2.5 Environment

2.6 Transportation

3. figures

4 Use

5 Limitations

6 See also

History

The electric-powered wheelchair was invented by George Klein who worked for the

National Research

Council of Canada, to assist injured veterans after World War II.[1]

Design

Powerchair design may be categorized by drive system/chassis, battery, controller, seat, and use. 1/5

Battery

The electric motors of powerchairs are usually powered by 12 to 80 ampere-hour rechargeable deep-cyclebatteries, the smaller batteries are used in pairs to give the chair enough power to last at least one daybetween charges. These are available in wet or dry options. As wet-cell batteries may not legally be carriedon an aircraft without removing them from the wheelchair and securing them in a shipping container, dry-cell batteries are preferred for powerchair use. Many powerchairs carry an on-board charger which can beplugged into a standard wall outlet; older or more portable models may have a separate charger unit

Controller

Controllers are most commonly an arm-rest mounted joystick which may have additional controls to allowthe user to tailor sensitivity or access multiple control modes. The controller may be swing-away to aid inside-transfers. For users who are unable to use a hand controller various alternatives are available such as

sip-and-puff controllers, worked by blowing into a sensor. In some cases the controller may be mounted foruse by an aide walking behind the chair rather than by the user. Capabilities include turning one drivewheelforward while the other goes backward, thus turning the wheelchair within its own length.

'Thought-control' of powerchairs, actually working by the detection of brainwaves or nerve signals viasensors on the scalp or elsewhere, has been demonstrated in thelaboratory environment.

Seat

The seating on a powerchair can vary in design. Starting with abasic sling seat and backrest made of vinyl or nylon, some chairshave an optional padding, some have more comfortable cushion andbackrest options which may include a head rest. There arecompanies which can fit their own backrests and seat cushions forpeople with increased need for stability in the trunk, or at increasedrisk of pressure sores from sitting out. Finally, specialist seating solutions are available for users who need individually tailoredsupport. Leg rests may be integrated into the seating design and may have powered adjustment for those users who need to vary their leg position. Powerchairs may also have atilt-in-space, or reclining facility for users who are unable to maintain an upright seating positionindefinitely. This function can also help with comfort by shifting pressure to different areas for a while, orwith positioning in a wheelchair when a user needs to be hoisted in.

Certain high-end powerchairs feature a 'standing' capability in which either the entire seat elevates to bringthe user to standing height or the seat-base, seat-back and leg rests move in conjunction to bring the userinto an upright position. The powerchair may or may not be able to move while in the elevated position.

Environment

Powerchairs may be designed for indoor, outdoor or indoor/outdooruse. A typical indoor powerchair will be narrow and short, to enablebetter manoeuvring around tight environments. Controls are usuallysimple, and due to the smaller design, the chair would be less stableoutdoors. Tyres are often smoother (once called carpet tyres) to lookafter the flooring in a home. Indoor/outdoor powerchairs again willbe as small in design as possible, but with a reasonable range in thebatteries, some grippy tyres (but not big knobbly off-road tyres),these often include a kerb-climber to assist with manoeuvres wherethere are no drop kerbs. Intended for pavement use only. Outdoorpowerchairs have a considerable range, a large wheelbase to helpwith stability, and large tyres which improve the comfort andhandling of the chair. These can sometimes be driven indoors in adapted environments, but not around a typical home.

some very large outdoor powerchairs have been designed with cross-country mobility in mind and showdesign convergence with other types of cross-country vehicle.

Transportation

Most wheelchairs are crash tested to standards 7176, and ISO 10542. These standards mean that awheelchair can be used facing forward in a vehicle if the vehicle has been fitted with an approved tiedownor docking system for securing the wheelchair, and a method of securing the occupant of the wheelchair.

Use

Powerchairs are generally prescribed for use by users who are unable to use a manual wheelchair. Howeverin both the US (Medicare and some private insurers) and the UK (National Health Service) powerchairs aregenerally not prescribed to users who have any ability to walk within the home, even if that ability is sofunctionally constrained as to be practically useless and where the user is unable to use a manual wheelchairindependently. If in doubt, contact your doctor who may refer you for an assessment. Disability rightsactivists are campaigning for prescription procedures to focus on an individual needs based assessmentrather than on inflexible application of prescription rules. The restricted prescribing leads to many usersbeing forced to procure a solution privately, in some cases settling for a powerchair or a mobility scooterthat is less than ideal to their needs but which falls within their budget. In the UK, under the NHS, patientsare assessed individually and the criteria for prescription are used to guide the assessment process to helpachieve a fair and equitable assessment.

The use of powerchairs is not restricted solely to users unable to use manual chairs. Any disabled personwith a mobility, fatigue or pain-based impairment or cardio-vascular issues may find a powerchairadvantageous in some circumstances, however existing prescription practises generally means that

powerchairs for such use must be privately procured or hired for the occasion. Consult your doctor or localwheelchair service if you are not sure.

Limitations

Access adaptions such as wheelchair spaces on public transport and wheelchair lifts are frequently designedaround a typical manual wheelchair (in the UK referred to as a 'reference wheelchair'). Powerchairs,however, frequently exceed the size and weight limits of manual wheelchairs as they are not constrained bythe ability of the user to self-propel. Some designs are too large or heavy for certain wheelchair spaces andlifts. However, there are new designs and innovations seeking to overcome these issues.

See also

Mobility scooter

Motorized shopping cart

Rehabilitation engineering

Wheelchair ramp