B5: Managing Energy-Loss of Manual Wheelchairs as a Means to Optimize Wheelchair Configuration
Tracks
Track 5
| Wednesday, March 7, 2018 |
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Salon 3 |
Overview
Stephen Sprigle
Details
Energy loss is ever-present for wheelchair users and, therefore, impacts propulsion during all maneuvers. The energy loss of a wheelchair system is dependent on several factors, including wheelchair configuration, environment and trajectory. This session will discuss how wheels, casters and weight distribution impacts energy loss.
Learning Objectives:
1. Articulate how energy loss influences the propulsion effort of manual wheelchair users
2. Describe the influence of caster diameter and width on energy loss parameters
3. Identify tradeoffs in wheelchair configurations as they influence energy loss versus traction, stability, and maneuverability
