Types of Self Control Wheelchairs

Self-control wheelchairs are used by many people with disabilities to get around. These chairs are great for daily mobility and can easily climb up hills and other obstacles. They also have large rear shock-absorbing nylon tires that are flat-free.

The speed of translation of the wheelchair was measured by a local field approach. Each feature vector was fed to a Gaussian encoder, which outputs a discrete probabilistic spread. The evidence that was accumulated was used to trigger visual feedback, as well as an instruction was issued after the threshold was attained.

Wheelchairs with hand-rims

The type of wheel that a wheelchair uses can affect its ability to maneuver and navigate terrains. Wheels with hand-rims reduce wrist strain and improve the comfort of the user. Wheel rims for wheelchairs are made in steel, aluminum, plastic or other materials. They also come in a variety of sizes. They can be coated with rubber or vinyl for better grip. Some are equipped with ergonomic features such as being shaped to accommodate the user's natural closed grip and wide surfaces for all-hand contact. This allows them distribute pressure more evenly, and also prevents the fingertip from pressing.

Recent research has revealed that flexible hand rims can reduce the force of impact as well as wrist and finger flexor actions during wheelchair propulsion. They also provide a larger gripping surface than tubular rims that are standard, allowing users to use less force while maintaining excellent push-rim stability and control. These rims can be found at many online retailers and DME providers.

The study found that 90% of the respondents were satisfied with the rims. It is important to remember that this was an email survey of those who purchased hand rims from Three Rivers Holdings, and not all wheelchair users suffering from SCI. The survey did not assess any actual changes in the severity of pain or symptoms. It only assessed the extent to which people noticed a difference.

More Material are available in four different models, including the light, big, medium and prime. The light is a small round rim, and the big and medium are oval-shaped. The rims that are prime are slightly larger in diameter and have an ergonomically-shaped gripping surface. All of these rims are mounted on the front of the wheelchair and are purchased in various shades, from naturalwhich is a light tan shade -to flashy blue, red, green or jet black. They are also quick-release and can be removed to clean or maintain. The rims are protected by rubber or vinyl coating to keep hands from sliding off and causing discomfort.

Wheelchairs with a tongue drive

Researchers at Georgia Tech developed a system that allows people who use wheelchairs to control other electronic devices and control them by moving their tongues. It is made up of a small tongue stud that has a magnetic strip that transmits movement signals from the headset to the mobile phone. The phone converts the signals to commands that can control a device such as a wheelchair. The prototype was tested with able-bodied people and spinal cord injured patients in clinical trials.

To assess the performance of this system, a group of able-bodied people utilized it to perform tasks that tested accuracy and speed of input. Fittslaw was utilized to complete tasks, such as mouse and keyboard use, and maze navigation using both the TDS joystick as well as the standard joystick. A red emergency override stop button was integrated into the prototype, and a companion participant was able to press the button when needed. The TDS performed as well as a normal joystick.

In a separate test in another test, the TDS was compared with the sip and puff system. This lets people with tetraplegia to control their electric wheelchairs by sucking or blowing into straws. The TDS was able to complete tasks three times faster and with better precision than the sip-and-puff. The TDS can drive wheelchairs with greater precision than a person suffering from Tetraplegia who controls their chair with a joystick.

The TDS could track the position of the tongue to a precise level of less than one millimeter. It also came with a camera system which captured eye movements of an individual to interpret and detect their movements. Software safety features were also implemented, which checked for valid user inputs twenty times per second. Interface modules would automatically stop the wheelchair if they didn't receive an appropriate direction control signal from the user within 100 milliseconds.

The next step is testing the TDS for people with severe disabilities. To conduct these trials they have partnered with The Shepherd Center which is a major health center in Atlanta and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. They plan to improve the system's sensitivity to ambient lighting conditions and add additional camera systems, and allow repositioning to accommodate different seating positions.

Wheelchairs that have a joystick

With a power wheelchair that comes with a joystick, users can control their mobility device using their hands without needing to use their arms. It can be placed in the middle of the drive unit, or on either side. It is also available with a screen that displays information to the user. Some of these screens are large and backlit to make them more visible. Others are small and may include symbols or images to help the user. The joystick can be adjusted to fit different hand sizes and grips and also the distance of the buttons from the center.


As power wheelchair technology has evolved and improved, clinicians have been able to design and create different driver controls that enable patients to maximize their ongoing functional potential. These advances enable them to do this in a manner that is comfortable for users.

For instance, a typical joystick is a proportional input device which uses the amount of deflection that is applied to its gimble to provide an output that grows as you exert force. This is similar to the way video game controllers and accelerator pedals in cars work. However, this system requires good motor function, proprioception and finger strength in order to use it effectively.

Another form of control is the tongue drive system which uses the position of the user's tongue to determine where to steer. A magnetic tongue stud sends this information to the headset, which can carry out up to six commands. It can be used by individuals who have tetraplegia or quadriplegia.

Some alternative controls are easier to use than the standard joystick. This is especially beneficial for those with weak strength or finger movement. Some of them can be operated by a single finger, making them perfect for those who are unable to use their hands in any way or have very little movement in them.

Some control systems come with multiple profiles, which can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of each client. This can be important for a new user who might require changing the settings frequently, such as when they feel fatigued or have an illness flare-up. It can also be helpful for an experienced user who wants to change the parameters that are set up for a specific environment or activity.

Wheelchairs with a steering wheel

Self-propelled wheelchairs can be utilized by those who have to move on flat surfaces or up small hills. They have large wheels on the rear for the user's grip to propel themselves. They also have hand rims which allow the individual to use their upper body strength and mobility to control the wheelchair either direction of forward or backward. Self-propelled wheelchairs are available with a variety of accessories, including seatbelts, dropdown armrests and swing-away leg rests. Some models can be converted into Attendant Controlled Wheelchairs to help caregivers and family members control and drive the wheelchair for those who require more assistance.

To determine kinematic parameters, the wheelchairs of participants were fitted with three wearable sensors that tracked movement throughout the entire week. The gyroscopic sensors on the wheels and one attached to the frame were used to measure the distances and directions that were measured by the wheel. To discern between straight forward movements and turns, the period of time in which the velocity differences between the left and right wheels were less than 0.05m/s was deemed straight. Turns were further studied in the remaining segments, and turning angles and radii were calculated based on the reconstructed wheeled route.

The study involved 14 participants. They were evaluated for their navigation accuracy and command latency. Utilizing an ecological field, they were required to navigate the wheelchair using four different ways. During the navigation trials sensors tracked the path of the wheelchair along the entire distance. Each trial was repeated at least two times. After each trial participants were asked to choose the direction in which the wheelchair should be moving.

The results showed that most participants were able to complete the navigation tasks even although they could not always follow the correct directions. In average 47% of turns were correctly completed. The other 23% of their turns were either stopped directly after the turn, or wheeled in a subsequent moving turn, or superseded by a simpler move. These results are similar to those of previous studies.