Business Idea if somebody wants to consider it

[UKRobin]

Bringing wheelchairs into the 21st Century

Having recently taken part in research to create accessible footpaths out of recycled chip bark and the testing of their level of usability for wheelchair users I came to one very important conclusion. Let me firstly explain the research conditions:

Trials involved attempting to push (or be pushed) in a wheelchair through 100mm depth of varying thickness woodchip. Well, if like myself you are a wheelchair user you will already know what the result was! Yes, the front wheels simply sunk or dug in. Any forward motion was in fact impossible (with or without assistance)

In an ideal world wood chip or bark would be the best possible surface in woodland pathways, cheap to produce, convenient to acquire and very soft to fall or walk on also hardwearing, environmentally friendly and of course cheep! But unfortunately not wheelchair friendly. So what is the answer?

To find the answer we need to go back in-time (No, not Dr Who style) we need to look at the wheelchair as it was designed.

In 1932. Engineer, Harry Jennings, built the first folding, tubular steel wheelchair. (The design as we know it today) That was the earliest wheelchair similar to what is in use today. That chair was built for a paraplegic friend of Jennings called Herbert Everest. Together they founded Everest & Jennings, a company that monopolised the wheelchair market for many years. An antitrust suit was actually brought against Everest & Jennings by the Department of Justice, who charged the company with rigging wheelchair prices. The case was finally settled out of court.

Anyway, that’s your history lesson for today but what this tells us is that design has not really changed that much for nearly 80 years! Yes, there are lighter versions but the basic style remains. Two big wheels at that back, two little wheels at the front.

Again going back in time we need to remember that in the 30’s wheelchair users were mainly institutionalised and having access to the outside world (let alone woodland areas and any public areas) was not expected or even considered necessary, let alone a legal right as it is today.

So the answer to the problem of gaining wheelchair access in not only woodland pathways but beaches, grass, gravel etc etc is very simply, redesign the wheelchair so that it meets the needs of today’s users, not those of 70+ years ago!

Any takers?

Robin

[profitxchange]

As a wheel chair user - how easy is it to change wheels on the chair?

Probably the simplest solution is to have two sets of wheels - standard narrow ones for the hard surfaces as they keep rolling resistance low. and a set of wider wheels that distribute the weight over a wider area and thus reduce sinkage into soft surfaces. provided one can change both the large and small wheels easily this may be an option - without the cost of redesging the whole wheel chair.

This principle is used in crop spraying when spraying the young shoots the farmer uses very wide tyres which do no damage to the shoots even when the groewun is very soft. When they disicate the crop when it is fully grown they use very large and narrow wheels to be able to stay in the unsown tracks and not damage the tall corn. ( you have probably seen rows in fields of corn)

[aiminghigh]

I for one wish you luck.
Anything which makes a disabled persons life easier has my support.
20 years ago when diagnosed with something similar to ms but having a genetic base, they gave me a wheelchair and said there was nothing else they could do.

For one reason or another I have managed to stay out of a chair and lead a relatively normal life and its gone rusty in the shed, but it was awkward to use and uncomfortable to be in, so yes someone please take this idea up.

chris

[An Oasis]

Interesting project Robin we were in discussions with an American firm about wheelchairs and they claim that one of their products has been designed to address this type of problem. Take a look at http://www.colourswheelchair.com/pro...rod_tremor.htm I would be interested to hear you views.

I know what you are talking about whenever we interview designers we give them a quick test “…what would you take into account when designing a garden or landscape with access…” they waffle on. Afterwards we put them into a wheel chair and then force them to try to get around spaces over gravel, sand, shingle… It works everytime, they all say the same thing “I never realised how difficult it would be”.

[UKRobin]

Probably the simplest solution is to have two sets of wheels

mmmmmmmm sounds simply but not praticle (Carrying two sets of wheels around)

[UKRobin]

re http://www.colourswheelchair.com/pro...rod_tremor.htm

They are going in the right direction but the front wheels are the ones that create the problems and although the ones shown are a bit wider they will still have dificulties in sand, gravel etc.

Like I say, the wheelchair needs 'completley' redesigning. My thoughts are to do away with the two front wheels as this is the problem area and try one wider wheel positioned in the centre front!

Your thoughts?

[An Oasis]

Yeah agreed on that it would be better on a track basis, more like tanks. But obviously, that would increase the overall weight. Which is critical when it comes to powered chairs and general manuverability.

Yes I can see a wider more centralised wheel being benefitial or perhaps more like a roller than a wheel.

Or

Not sure what the chairs that the Special Olympics guys use are called but with that outward slopping angle it would be possible to add on some kind of track or additional width. Reposition the large wheels to a more forward position and just use the smaller tyres at the back for balance.