A new device could make it easier for people to maneuver their powered
wheelchairs. The inventors are a group of students at the University of
Utah who saw a need and decided to do something about it.
"If you don't have control of your fingers you can't use that small little joystick at the end of the armrest on a normal power wheelchair," said University of Utah Student Jerica Johnson.
JOhhnson is a second year medical student at the University of Utah.
She was working in the neurology department when she noticed some patients having a hard time controlling their power wheelchairs.
"A lot of patients had a hard time when controlling power wheelchairs with just their fingers because of certain diseases they had where they couldn't really control the small muscles in their hands," said Johnson.
Diseases such as arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, among many other, can all impact the use of a person's fingers.
Seeing the need, Johnson and a classmate wanted to help.
"If they could control their power wheelchair with their arms rather than with their hands they can have a lot more independence, a lot more control and it would be a lot more safer for them," said Johnson.
They teamed up with some bio-medical engineering students to come up with a solution. After several months they came up with this prototype.
"It just goes literally right over the joystick and you control it with your shoulder muscles, rather than your hand muscles," said Johnson.
The device they created is called Roll Control. It's a replacement armrest that can be taken on and off as needed. It allows patients to control their wheelchair with large muscle groups rather than small. Right now Johnson and her team are raising money to build a better prototype; one that can be tested by patients.
Source : KUTV ( 15th Feb 2013 )
"If you don't have control of your fingers you can't use that small little joystick at the end of the armrest on a normal power wheelchair," said University of Utah Student Jerica Johnson.
JOhhnson is a second year medical student at the University of Utah.
She was working in the neurology department when she noticed some patients having a hard time controlling their power wheelchairs.
"A lot of patients had a hard time when controlling power wheelchairs with just their fingers because of certain diseases they had where they couldn't really control the small muscles in their hands," said Johnson.
Diseases such as arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, among many other, can all impact the use of a person's fingers.
Seeing the need, Johnson and a classmate wanted to help.
"If they could control their power wheelchair with their arms rather than with their hands they can have a lot more independence, a lot more control and it would be a lot more safer for them," said Johnson.
They teamed up with some bio-medical engineering students to come up with a solution. After several months they came up with this prototype.
"It just goes literally right over the joystick and you control it with your shoulder muscles, rather than your hand muscles," said Johnson.
The device they created is called Roll Control. It's a replacement armrest that can be taken on and off as needed. It allows patients to control their wheelchair with large muscle groups rather than small. Right now Johnson and her team are raising money to build a better prototype; one that can be tested by patients.
Source : KUTV ( 15th Feb 2013 )
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