TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India.
Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2023 Jul;18(5):553-563. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2021.1892839. Epub 2021 Mar 4.
Only 1 in 10 people with disabilities can access assistive devices, underlining the critical need for low-cost assistive products. This paper describes the design evolution of a manual user-operated standing wheelchair (SWC), translating from prototype to product.
The SWC design has been refined over 5 years through multiple iterations based on comments from user trials. The SWC product, Arise, provides standing functionality, facile outdoor mobility, affordability, customisability, and is aesthetically pleasing. A one-time fitting and training ensure optimal effort for operation, correct posture, and comfortable user experience. The SWC accommodates users of different sizes and body weights (up to 110 kg) and minimises user effort with the use of a gas spring. Incorporating discrete adjustments enables customisation while retaining the advantages of mass manufacturing, which is necessary for ensuring affordability.
The SWC has been field-tested and well received by over 100 wheelchair users, and Arise was launched recently by the industry partner.
It should be noted that RESNA cautions on the use of any standing device without medical consultation. Nevertheless, with appropriate dissemination and awareness, it is anticipated that the affordable SWC product, Arise, will immensely benefit the eligible users and make a difference in their quality of life.Implications for RehabilitationProvides standing functionality, outdoor mobility, affordability and customisabilityAccommodates users of different sizes and body weights in a mass-manufacturable designErgonomic design reduces net user effort during sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit activityDesign iterated and refined based on feedback from over 100 user trials.
仅有十分之一的残疾人能够获得辅助器具，这突显了低成本辅助产品的迫切需求。本文描述了一款手动操作的站立轮椅（SWC）从原型到产品的设计演变过程。
SWC 的设计经过 5 年的多次迭代，根据用户试用的反馈进行了改进。SWC 产品 Arise 提供站立功能、易于在户外移动、价格实惠、可定制，并且外观美观。一次性的适配和培训可确保操作、正确姿势和舒适的用户体验的最佳效果。SWC 可容纳不同尺寸和体重的用户（高达 110 公斤），并使用气压弹簧减少用户的体力消耗。融入离散调整可实现定制化，同时保留大规模制造的优势，这对于确保价格实惠至关重要。
SWC 已经经过实地测试，并得到了 100 多名轮椅使用者的好评，其工业合作伙伴最近推出了 Arise。
需要注意的是，RESNA 警告在没有医疗咨询的情况下使用任何站立设备。尽管如此，随着适当的传播和意识的提高，预计这款价格实惠的 SWC 产品 Arise 将极大地使符合条件的用户受益，并改善他们的生活质量。
提供站立功能、户外移动性、可负担性和可定制性，可容纳不同尺寸和体重的用户，采用大规模制造设计。符合人体工程学的设计减少了从坐到站、站到坐活动中的净用户体力消耗。设计根据 100 多次用户试用的反馈进行迭代和改进。
