Accessibility Issues Of Motorized Wheelchair

This report will discuss the accessibility issue of motorized wheelchairs. Motorized wheelchairs are designed to meet an individual’s needs to their disability in mobility and created to be maneuverable in tight areas [1]. However, many barriers to people in wheelchairs face, that make it more challenging for them to accomplish (in some areas can include their day to day tasks or activities). Mechanical engineers are researching ways to help combat these barriers, which include how robotics can affect their daily lives [2] or adjusting their surroundings to make it more accessible [3].

Introduction

Making it one of the most commonly used assistive device, around fifty million people worldwide use, or need a wheelchair [4]. Being that, some

Certain motorized wheelchairs have adjustable speeds as well. These wheelchairs are manufactured to be maneuverable especially for when the individual needs to make tight turns [10]. The majority of these wheelchairs use a power-base system, which are a direct drive system (which contains a gear box, to allow for adjustments to the motion) and is powered by two twelve-volt batteries

The University of Washington has a team of engineers researching and implicating ways to create their Makerspace to be accessible to students with disabilities. In the article “How Makerspaces can be Accessible to People with Disabilities” by Jennifer Langston, published in 2015 discusses some of the examples of ways they are applying to make this area accessible to individuals in wheelchairs. A couple examples include adding wheels to tables where they can be moved around, having adjustable heights for tables that can be accessed with buttons, positioning tools or shelves at a reasonable height. Some of these implications have already benefitted people in these areas, including an individual named Kayla Wheeler, who was born with no legs and one arm