Human Engineering Research Laboratories, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Assist Technol. 2024 Sep;36(5):329-337. doi: 10.1080/10400435.2020.1836068. Epub 2020 Nov 12.
Wheeled mobility devices enable persons with limited mobility to maintain an independent lifestyle. Lever-drive propulsion options have been shown to increase wheeled mobility device efficiency while reducing physical strain on users. Despite these benefits, they have not been widely adopted for everyday use. Two novel lever-drive devices (RoScooter and RoTrike) provide an alternative to pushrim propulsion by using an integrated front-and-center push-pull lever mechanism. The objectives of this study were to assess the usability and performance of the lever-drive devices using both rehabilitation professional and user feedback. The study enrolled 17 rehabilitation professionals and 13 users who performed various mobility tasks to rate the performance of the RoScooter and RoTrike for ease of use, stability, safety, appearance, and comfort. Users were graded on their performance using a scoring system based on the Wheelchair Skills Test. Rehabilitation professionals suggested improvements in regard to adjustability, maneuverability, target population, and appearance, preferring the operations of the RoScooter to the RoTrike. Users reported that the devices were entertaining and easy to use, but improvements in adjustability, reversal methods, and operation options to appeal to a wider range of consumers are needed before lever-drive devices are suitable to replace or supplement current wheeled mobility devices.
轮式移动设备使行动不便的人能够维持独立的生活方式。杠杆驱动推进选项已被证明可以提高轮式移动设备的效率，同时减少用户的身体负担。尽管有这些好处，但它们并没有被广泛应用于日常使用。两种新型的杠杆驱动装置（RoScooter 和 RoTrike）通过使用集成的前中心推拉杠杆机构提供了一种替代推轮推进的方法。本研究的目的是评估使用康复专业人员和用户反馈来评估杠杆驱动装置的可用性和性能。该研究招募了 17 名康复专业人员和 13 名用户，他们执行了各种移动任务，以评估 RoScooter 和 RoTrike 的易用性、稳定性、安全性、外观和舒适性。用户根据基于轮椅技能测试的评分系统对其性能进行评分。康复专业人员就可调节性、操纵性、目标人群和外观提出了改进建议，他们更喜欢 RoScooter 的操作，而不是 RoTrike。用户报告说这些设备很有趣且易于使用，但需要改进可调节性、反转方法和操作选项，以吸引更广泛的消费者，然后杠杆驱动装置才能适合替代或补充当前的轮式移动设备。
