ETH researchers develop wheelchair with backrest as steering wheel
Published: Wednesday, Oct 23rd 2024, 10:00
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Two ETH Zurich employees have developed a wheelchair that can be controlled using the backrest. This control reduces the effort required and is easy on the shoulders, arms and hands of wheelchair users.
So far, more than 50 wheelchair users have tested the backrest control system. Many of them are convinced, ETH Zurich announced on Wednesday.
People using a manual wheelchair, for example, have to constantly correct their direction on a sidewalk in order to drive straight ahead, they say. While one hand accelerates the vehicle, the other hand has to brake and counter-steer. This is not only strenuous, but also puts a strain on the joints.
Directly connected to the front wheels
To ease the physical strain on wheelchair users, two ETH Zurich scientists developed this wheelchair with a movable backrest that is directly connected to the front wheels and steers the entire vehicle.
According to the press release, this is all purely mechanical: if the driver leans to the right, the wheelchair moves to the right. If the wheelchair leans to the left, it moves to the left. This saves a lot of energy and makes braking on sidewalks and in bends unnecessary, one of the developers is quoted as saying in the press release.
The new control technology not only reduces shoulder problems that wheelchair users have faced over the years. The gentle torso movements required for steering are likely to stimulate blood circulation and can help with back pain and digestive problems, the researchers say.
And finally, this back control allows you to ride with one hand. This leaves the second hand free to transport objects from one place to another - be it an umbrella, cell phone or coffee.
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