I-Corps: Designing an Adaptive, Modular Framework for Wheelchair Users

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一个模块化框架，帮助使用轮椅的人完成日常活动，如访问电子设备、打字和打开建筑物的门。主要的最终用户是学生、教师、企业家、运动员、儿童、父母和其他坐在轮椅上的人，他们需要额外的工具来支持他们独特的生活方式。到2024年，轮椅市场预计将达到75亿美元。预计这一增长是由于65岁以上人口的增加和渐进性疾病的流行等因素。该设备的主要客户群包括300万手动和电动轮椅用户，并可能根据位置和物理限制的程度进一步分开。另一个将从该设备中受益的客户群是护理员。2015年，美国18岁及以上有适应需求的成年人的照顾者总数为3980万人。2016年，家庭护理员收入的20%花在了辅助护理上。拥有个性化轮椅助手的领养者将拥有额外的自主权，这反过来将减轻目前无法维持全职工作的照顾者的部分经济负担。这一i-Corps项目的基础是开发一种适应性设备，帮助残疾人完成腰部以上的基本日常生活活动，使他们能够独立从事就业、学习和家庭环境。该项目将产生一个一体式轮椅助手，具有可定制的“ARM”模块，用于提供独立和控制。受类似的自然和人造装配的启发，一种类似甲壳的形状将允许人们拥有多个相对的伸展部分，这些伸展部分可以手动操作或通过使用机器人进行操作。通过组合和实现辅助模块来确保特定用户的独立性，展示了该设备的创新之处。到目前为止，这项研究已经落实了在对区域轮椅使用者、护理人员和专家进行初步访谈时获得的知识。此外，还调查了轮椅使用者在大学环境中的具体需求，包括对独特的人体工程学打字位置的需求。目前这种自适应组件的原型已被证明将打字速度提高了每分钟30个字。拟议的额外模块可能会在日常生活活动的完成方面产生类似的可衡量的改善。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a modular framework to assist people using wheelchairs in completion of daily activities such as accessing electronic devices, typing, and opening doors to buildings. The primary end users are students, teachers, entrepreneurs, athletes, children, parents, and others in wheelchairs who need additional tools to support their unique lifestyles. The wheelchair market is expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2024. This growth is predicted due to factors such as the rising population over age 65 and prevalence of progressive diseases. The primary customer segment for the device includes the 3 million manual and motorized wheelchair users and may be further separated based on location and extent of physical limitations. Another customer segment that will benefit from the device is caregivers. The total number of caregivers in the U.S. in 2015 was 39.8 million for adults 18 and older with adaptive needs. In 2016, 20% of family caregiver earnings were spent on assistive care. Adopters with a personalized wheelchair assistant will have additional autonomy which, in turn, will alleviate part of the financial burden on caregivers currently unable to maintain full-time jobs. This I-Corps project is based on the development of an adaptive device for assisting people with disabilities in completion of fundamental daily living activities above the waist so that they are able to independently engage in employment, academic, and home environments. The project will result in an all-in-one wheelchair assistant with customizable “arm” modules for providing independence and control. Inspired by analogous natural and man-made assemblies a “carapace-like” shape will allow people to have multiple, opposable extensions that may be maneuvered manually or through the use of robotics. The innovation of the device is demonstrated through the way in which the assistive modules are combined and implemented to ensure independence for the specific user. The research to date has implemented knowledge gained during preliminary interviews of regionally located wheelchair users, caregivers, and specialists. In addition, the specific needs of wheelchair users in a university setting, including the need for unique ergonomic typing positions, have been investigated. The current prototype for this adaptive component has been shown to improve typing speeds by 30 words per minute. The proposed additional modules may result in similar measurable improvements in the completion of daily living activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.