Current directions in wheelchair research.

® ver the past several years, there has been increasing interest in the wheelchair among inventors, design engineers, and the general public. This is probably because the wheelchair has come to symbolize the person with handicaps . For example, the national symbol for handicapped access is an abstract image of a person in a wheelchair . It is a tangible and understandable object, and in recent years has become the focus of a great many ideas and suggestions for improvement. In contrast, the major manufacturers of wheelchairs have been rather conservative in introducing new ideas and have instead been content with minor product improvements, particularly with regard to powered wheelchairs . The exception has been the production of the sports-type wheelchair, which was first conceived and developed in response to competitions in racing, basketball, and other sports for athletes with disabilities . Sports-type wheelchairs for general use were first introduced by new companies such as Quadra and Motion Designs, but are now offered by all major manufacturers . The revolution in lightweight wheelchair design and styling is a credit to the spirit and vitality of the people behind this movement, many of whom have disabilities. However, problems of liability and the rather low overall market demand has contributed to a conservative attitude among manufacturers . Although the amount of research done by wheelchair manufacturers is not public information, it is doubtful that much effort is being devoted to this area by them . Some universities are appropriately staffed and equipped to carry out research on wheelchairs, paving the way for greater innovations in component design. For example, a major research effort at the University of Virginia Rehabilitation Engineering Center has focused on the basic principles associated with the functional and structural characteristics of wheelchairs. These include ergonomics of propulsion, rolling resistance, seating configuration, structural analysis, controller design, motor efficiency, and battery capacity . Research efforts, such as those at UVA, are providing the theoretical framework which will result in designs that will meet the needs of disabled users for specific activities. The definition of the user population and their activities, both customary and desired, needs to be known. To date, there has been very little research in this area, but some information can be obtained from surveys conducted by the University of Virginia (1) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (2).