Analysis of a Lever-Driven Wheelchair Prototype and the Correlation Between

Abstract In this experimental study a lever-driven wheelchair prototype was compared with a manual wheelchair. The push force of 13 able-bodied human participants was measured over the range of motion required to propel the lever-driven wheelchair prototype and the standard manual wheelchair. The push force that is required to propel each wheelchair was measured statically using strain gauges and dynamically using a purpose built dynamometer to quantify high and low force areas and to determine if correlation exists to wheelchair performance. The force exerted, simulated peak wheelchair velocity, acceleration, torque and power, were examined. The 13 human participants completed five maximal effort tests in the lever-driven wheelchair and three maximal effort tests in a manual wheelchair on the dynamometer. A multiple regression and a Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient analysis were performed on the acquired data and a p-value of less than 0.05 level of significance was found; suggesting a correlation does exist between the static and dynamic force measurement methods.