CRASH SAFE WHEELCHAIR SEATING FOR CHILDREN

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DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the applicant's abstract): Testing conducted at the University of Virginia Automobile Safety Laboratory (ASL) has indicated that children with severe disabilities, when seated in customized wheelchairs, are at significant risk of injury during vehicle collision. Two common versions of custom seats have failed during crash load testing. While postural support straps proved too weak to provide occupant restraint in simulated vehicle collisions, they were capable of generating loading forces significant enough to injure the occupant. This project will investigate hardware that can enable wheelchair manufacturers, customized seat fabricators, and specialized seating clinics to create custom seating systems that better protect children in vehicle collisions. Developing a way of customized wheelchairs to reach the same standards as all transit wheelchairs will provide safer transportation services and reduce the likelihood of injury for individuals who often are physically fragile. The proposed Phase I effort will investigate the feasibility for developing crash-safe customized seating hardware for children, including: 1) seat and back structural components, including the hardware to mount the inserts in to the wheelchair frame; 2) a new belt or support garment that is crash safe and suitable for postural support, and break-away links for straps intended solely for postural supports.