Abstract

The wheelchair is a key invention that provides individuals with limitations in mobility increased independence and participation in society.

However, wheelchair control is a complicated motor task that increases physical and mental workload.

New wheelchair interfaces, including power-assisted devices can further enable users by reducing the required effort especially in more demanding environments.

The protocol engaged novice wheelchair users to push a wheelchair with and without power assist in a simple and complex environment using wireless Electrocardiogram (ECG) to approximate heart rate (HR).

Results indicated that HR determined from ECG data, decreased with use of the power-assist.

The use of power-assist however did reduce behavioral performance, particularly within obstacles that required more control.

Citations

Shawn Joshi, Roxana Ramirez Herrera, Daniella Nicole Springett, Benjamin David Weedon, Dafne Zuleima Morgado Ramirez, Catherine Holloway, Hasan Ayaz, Helen Dawes, 'A Cross-Sectional Study Using Wireless Electrocardiogram to Investigate Physical Workload of Wheelchair Control in Real World Environments' In: Ayaz H. (eds) Advances in Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering. AHFE 2019. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 953.

Sponsorship: Supported by the NIHR. This research was funded through the Adaptive Assistive Rehabilitative Technologies – Beyond the Clinic grant by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/M025543/1). SJ is additionally supported by the Fulbright US-UK Commission. HD is supported by the Elizabeth Casson Trust and received support from the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre. Additional support provided by CONACYT (National Council of Science and Technology in Mexico).

Publisher: Springer

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20473-0_2

URI: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/orka/title/a-cross-sectional-study-using-wireless-electrocardiogram-to-investigate-physical-workload-of-wheelchair-control-in-real-world-environments/