A NEW POWER SUPPLY FOR ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS AND SCOOTERS

在美国，有成千上万的人需要使用电动移动辅助设备来弥补他们的局限性。随着寿命的延长导致老年人数量的增加，这个数字只会上升，特别是在老年人中年龄最大的部分，那里日益虚弱的人增加了对行动辅助工具的需求。这些人一直过着活跃的生活，他们努力保持活跃，正在挑战当代设备的极限。该项目的目标是开发一种混合动力系统，用于轮椅和滑板车等电动移动辅助设备。电力系统将包括一个轻型质子交换膜(PEM)燃料电池和一个作为一次能源供应的储氢装置，以及一个用于负载均衡的镍金属氢化物(NiMH)二次电池。它将PEM燃料电池系统的高能量密度与NiMH电池的高功率传输密度相结合，以产生比目前使用的铅酸电池更轻的电源，同时存储更多的能量以实现更远的里程，并以更高的速率提供更多的功率。拟议的商业应用：每年有数千人遭受脊柱损伤，需要机械辅助来维持他们的活动水平。与此同时，人口老龄化，65岁以上的人口比例每年都在增加。这为助行器创造了一个巨大的市场。目前可用的设备很重，动力不足。为这个不断增长的市场改善电源供应的设备具有巨大的潜力。

There are thousands of people in the U.S. that require the use of powered mobility aids to compensate for their limitations. This number is only going to rise as increasing lifespans lead to an increase in the number of elderly people, especially in the oldest portion of the elderly, where increasing frailty increases the need for mobility aids. These are the same people who have led active lives, and who's efforts to remain active are pushing the limits of the current generation of equipment. The objective of this project is the development of a hybrid power system for electrically powered mobility aids such as wheelchairs and scooters. The power system will consist of a lightweight proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell and a hydrogen storage device as a primary energy supply and a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) secondary battery for load leveling. It will combine the high energy density of the PEM fuel cell system with the high power delivery density of the NiMH battery to produce a source of electrical power that will weigh less than the lead acid batteries currently used, while storing more energy for a longer range and delivering it at a higher rate for more power. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Thousands of people suffer spinal injuries every year and require mechanical assistance, to maintain their level of activity. At the same time, the population is aging, with the proportion of people over the age of 65 increasing annually. This creates a substantial market for mobility aids. The equipment currently available is heavy, and has inadequate power. A device that improves the power supplies for this growing market has vast potential.