Innovative technology design approaches to improve wheeled mobility

轮椅的使用至少在两个方面对生活质量产生影响：1)压疮和慢性过度使用损伤等健康问题；2)由于最适合直立姿势的建筑和自然环境的不可接近性质而造成的出入问题。即使考虑到这些问题，轮椅对许多人来说仍然是最好的出行形式(例如，轮椅相对容易转移和推动)。然而，轮椅根本不是变革性的，即它们不能让残疾人达到接近其非残疾同龄人的行动能力水平，也通常不允许面对面的互动和充分参与社区。这项康复工程研究计划通过将两项不断发展的技术融合到一个连贯的新移动设备中，通过重新发明移动辅助设备来解决现有轮椅的不足。第一种是动态轮式移动性，它通过使用动态可调定位为传统轮椅增加了重要的功能。第二种是电动行走外骨骼，它可以实现非常理想的站立和行走功能，以及与康复步态训练相关的治疗益处。不幸的是，外骨骼有很大的可用性问题，比如速度慢，续航范围有限，潜在的皮肤问题，以及难以转移-所有这些问题都可以解决，我的目标是将可拆卸的外骨骼连接到轮式框架上。一系列工程研究项目将通过解决以下主题反复开发这一概念：外骨骼驱动方法，以适应内置集成座椅、窄宽度和便于促进转运和其他轮椅功能的通道；以及设计与独特的轮架对接和可拆卸的附件机构，该框架具有足够的转向刚性和站立稳定性。目标是一种单一的移动设备，不仅可以优化日常活动(即轮椅座位和推进，具有动态定位)，而且还可以作为一种易于使用的康复工具，实现治疗效果(即可拆卸的电动外骨骼，用于步行逗留)。这对行动不便的人的生活有很大的潜在好处。

Wheelchair use has consequences to quality of life in at least two areas: 1) health issues such as pressure sores and chronic overuse injury; and 2) access problems due to the inaccessible nature of the built and natural environments that are most amenable to upright postures. Even with these concerns, wheelchairs are still the best form of mobility for many people (e.g. they are relatively easy to transfer into and propel). However, wheelchairs are simply not transformative, i.e. they do not allow a person with a disability to attain a level of mobility performance that approaches that of their non-disabled peers, nor do they typically allow for face to face interactions and full participation in the community. This Rehabilitation Engineering research program addresses the inadequacy of existing wheelchairs with a re-invention of mobility aids by merging two evolving technologies into a coherent new mobility device. The first is Dynamic Wheeled Mobility, which adds significant functionality to conventional wheelchairs through the use of on-the-fly adjustable positioning. The second is Powered Walking Exoskeletons, which enable highly desired standing and walking functions, as well as therapeutic benefits associated with rehabilitation gait training. Unfortunately, exoskeletons have significant usability concerns such as slow speed, limited range, potential skin issues, and difficult transfers - all issues addressable in my objective of docking a detachable exoskeleton to a wheeled frame. A series of engineering research projects will iteratively develop this concept by tackling topics such as: exoskeleton actuation methods to accommodate built-in integrated seating, narrow width, and access for promoting transfers and other wheelchair functions; and design of docking and releasable attachment mechanisms to a unique wheeled frame with adequate rigidity for wheeling and stability for standing. The goal is a single mobility device that not only optimizes daily activities (i.e. wheelchair seating and propulsion, with dynamic positioning), but that also serves as an easy-to-use rehabilitation tool for therapeutic benefits (i.e. a detachable powered exoskeleton for walking sojourns). This has significant potential benefits for the lives of people with mobility impairments.