Prohand Pedal Wheelchair Research Paper

Strokes are known as the leading cause of acquired disability in adults where between 20-30% are left unable to walk, and leaving those who are able to walk, with a moderate to severe walking disability (Maguire et al., 2012). This disability results in a huge socioeconomic impact on the patients and their families lives. In order to improve their quality of life, an improvement in balance is the important first step in which is crucial to enable more independent movement, for example walking.

This type of therapy is one that many people have never heard of, and therefore, do not recognize what it can do to help stroke patients. WebMD explains that occupational therapy helps make sure that an individual is capable of doing everyday tasks (Beckman). As a result, therapists who specialize in this field are more likely to use the glove to help their patients. Stephen H. Scott and Sean P. Dukelow express in their article “Potential of Robots as Next-Generation Technology for Clinical Assessment of Neurological Disorders and Upper-Limb Therapy” that doing exercises such as moving cups from one end of a table to another or picking up a pen and holding it in a writing position help to reteach the brain that these are normal functions and the hand should be able to move in these ways on its own (339). For example, using the glove allows patients to get a firmer grasp on objects such as a cup or a pen. Allowing patients to use the glove prompts the brain by sending a message and making a connection that the hand should be able to operate on its own in these ways. It also lets the brain know how the hand muscles are supposed to move and how they should react when presented with different tasks. According to an article titled “Robotic Device Offers Physiotherapy to Aid the Recovery of Stroke Patients,” “Stroke patients showed improvements after eight weeks of use” (6).

As one hand controls the knee walker, the other hand is busy involving itself with other duties. This device cannot restrict one from doing another activity. For instance, one could hop at a store to buy some things without wondering who will help you carry them. As you cruise around, have one hand at the steer wheel as the other clutches a grocery bag.

The subjects of the study were ten people who had recently had a stroke, two were women and eight were men. Additionally, these people had only one leg affected and were able to safely use all the testing equipment. Each person was first subject to four tests for a clinical assessment to better understand the subjects. These tests were the Modified Ashworth Scale, Timed Up and Go Test, manual muscle testing, and a test to determine the person’s range of motion.

Strokes are a prevalent occurrence. Every year, nearly 800,000 people have a stroke (“The Internet Stroke Center,” n.d.). Its ramifications can be disastrous ranging from impairment, disability, to even death. Rehabilitation after suffering from a stroke is necessary to have a successful recovery. The current protocol for stroke rehabilitation begins during the initial hospital admittance. The therapy is then transferred to an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation center. This decision is made considering the severity of the stroke and the patient’s accessibility to a clinic. Stroke rehabilitation taking place in the home, instead of an inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation center, would be an alternative for patients to consider. An important

The movement will be with the help of motors and the movement will continue up to 20m until if the person changes the directions. If the person wants to change the direction the sensor will detect the change and will brake the system and will move the chair in the required directions. There will be the controllers present which will help the chair to provide acceleration up to a certain distance. The block diagram of hand gesture controlled wheel chair is given below.

Contribution/s: increased accessibility to and for patients, rehabilitation program post-stroke from home, provides a focus on motor functions, improving post-stroke patient care practices, offering feedback to patients directly during rehabilitation

Ability to use a manual wheelchair, and can learn to drive a modified car adapted with hand controls.

This source has less of a bias purpose and more of a purpose to relay information and educate others about conditions and needs around the world. The author talks about awards given the inventor of the wheelchair, the need for wheelchairs, and statistics about disabled

When we first received our syllabus and were told we were going to have to do a wheelchair experience, I was excited. I played in wheelchairs when I was young and had friends push me around. Additionally, in one of my classes last semester, I played wheelchair handball so I thought this wheelchair experience was going to be a simple and stress-free. Throughout the experience, it was more difficult than I anticipated.

Throughout our daily lives, we begin to understand that those with disabilities struggle in both the physical and cognitive domains. People with physical disabilities may use wheelchair and often times require the assistance of another individual. For example, when people with physical disabilities are entering a bus they use a ramp and their seatbelts are buckled by the bus driver. Encountering those with physical disabilities is not uncommon due to the fact that their

Another obvious physical disability is an individual's confinement to a wheelchair. People who cannot walk under their own power are usually at a great disadvantage. Many times there are no special considerations made for these people. Even some typical expressions demonstrate this lack of compassion, such as "I have to run to the store", or "I'm going for a walk." People in wheelchairs are often considered weak and unable to care for themselves. However, some advances have been made in our society that encourages the independence of these people. Wheelchair ramps, handicap parking, and cuts in the curb of sidewalks are just some of the more obvious changes that have been made to better accommodate these people. But some problems may still occur for people in wheelchairs. Some hallways and doors may not be wide enough for the chair to fit through and when it is icy outside it is very easy to slide if the pavement is not sanded properly.

Two years ago, my grandmother had a knee surgery. For half year, she had to rely on her wheelchair to get around. I took care of her for a month. It seemed the world revealed a new layer for me—a tough world for the elder. Despite it’s a power wheelchair, I found we literally can go nowhere without extreme laboursome movements. Compared to the wheelchair ramp, reserved parking, accessible

The first activity I would do would be to help the patient maintain a comfortable position in bed and in the wheel chair. This will help her to be able to keep the left side of her body safe from any harm that could happen to her hand or the left side of her body. Client will do several activities that focus on visual scanning from left to right. One activity that comes to mind is sorting cards. Have the patient make two stacks of cards on each side of her. Have one side be the color red and have the other side be the color black. I would also practice her checking to make sure her left hand is where it needed to be. For example if she moves from the bed to the chair she needs to make sure her hand is in a safe position.(Acute

The wheelchair industry is currently (1992-1993) composed of three companies controlling 72% of the wheelchair market (including parts). Even though together they are a dominating force, the overall profitability of the industry is comparable to that of a not a very attractive one, with the top two players averaging a meager 5.7% Net Income and the third one (the former market leader) losing considerable money (see Exhibit A).