Ready to rock and roll

BUT our research!!! No science day is truly scientific without research RnD states “there is no development without the research”… so here it is. Our research consisted on the topics we decided were crucial to making transportation on wheel chairs better. We started of with re-looking at our feel and imagine, we saw that the there were already wheelchair tackling the change we wanted to make:

And it works in the best way we could think, but there is only two thing we were going to be able to do to beat this. Make it better or make viable for everyone who has a wheel chair. Our research came to inform us that the average cost of this mind boggling machine is an even more mind boggling value: 3,00,000 rupees. This was going to be the focus from now on but we wanted to do a little more indepth study on the wheel chair and how it affects lives as well as the form and function of it.

By a research group in Vancouver university the cases that require wheel chairs have had serious effects as they have had to spend most of their life on it. They stated few of the typical issues that the patients were undergoing in a wheeler or a wheelchair, example:

• reduced bone density (or osteoporosis)
• reduced/atrophied muscles
• skin breakdown (such as pressure sores, a.k.a. “bed sores”)
• spasticity/spasms
• changes in blood pressure and blood flow
• cardiovascular conditions
• contractures and joint problems

The main cause was the type of wheel chairs people were using and how they were not being used for their exact purpose. As people age, the prevalence of disability — and therefore, the need for a wheelchair — increases. For this reason, we’vecompiled a list of wheelchairs that can help you determine which chair best suits your needs.

Basic

• Wheelchairs are durable medical equipment that include foot and leg rests, sometimes offering elevating leg rests and either full-length or desk-length arms. Seat width options are 16-, 18-, or 20-inches.

Narrow

• Typically 16-inch wide seat only.

Standard

• The basic model with several available features such as variable seat widths, detachable footrests, elevating leg rests, permanent arms or removable arms, full-length arms or desk-length arms.

Lightweight

• These lighter chairs are made for those who travel with their chairs.
• They are often upholstered in nylon and offer the optional features that the basic and standard models do.
• These versatile chairs may also include the option of a quick-release wheel removal process, and/or an adjustable-height back.

Extra-Wide

• Whereas other wheelchairs have a typical weight capacity of 300 lbs, the extra-wide chairs usually range from 350 to 450 maximum weight capacity.
• The width options are typically in the 20-inch to 24-inch range.

Antimicrobial

• There are now companies that make chairs treated with antimicrobial technology on the major patient contact surfaces.
• Works continuously to slow or prevent the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria.
• Upholstery may be vinyl instead of nylon.

Bariatric

• Bariatric wheelchairs are typically set at 24-, 26-, 28-, or 30-inch width seats and can support up to 700 pounds.

Heavy-Duty Transport

• Some chairs are built for transport and not self-propulsion. The rear wheels are typically close to 12-inches in diameter. The wheels are not meant for the person in the chair to reach and roll forward.
• The may feature a back that folds down to make storage and transport much easier than other chairs.
• They may also include handbrakes to give the person pushing the chair better control.
• Possibly a seatbelt, and other comfort accessories like a cup holder mounted to one of the arm frames.
• There may not be too many armrest choices on this style of chair. Plan on possibly only finding full-length permanent arms.
• Seat width for the heavy-duty version is typically in the 20-inch to 24-inch range.
• Transport wheelchairs are typically made of materials that keep them light. Even a heavy-duty transport wheelchair may only weigh around 35 pounds while still guaranteeing a weight capacity of up to 400 pounds.

Standard Transport

• The slightly smaller, standard-size transport chairs are built to support people that weigh up to 300 pounds.
• The back, like the heavy-duty version, folds down for easy storage.
• It is more typical to find the restaurant-style armrest on these which allows the person in the wheelchair to get closer to the table.
• You’ll find seat width a little slimmer than the heavy-duty version, too. Expect to see seat widths at less than 20-inches.
• Since these chairs are built to support a lighter weight person, the rear wheels will be smaller, too. The rear wheels will be in the 8-inch range for many models.
• Chairs in this category weigh about half as much as their heavy-duty counterparts.
• Instead of steel frames, transport chairs have optional chairs made of lighter metals such as aluminum to make the chair weigh less.
• There are also hybrid transport wheelchairs, where the back wheels have a quick-release mechanism that allows removal and exchange of the rear wheel style. You can use the larger, self-propulsion wheels, or switch them to the smaller transport wheels.

Recliners

• Recliners are a type of heavy-duty chair also.
• Typically designed to support bariatric weight classes in the 700-pound range.
• They have a reclining back to open up the torso. This redistributes the person’s weight in a safer, more comfortable way.
• Look for features such as the ability to change the height of the back.
• There are recliner wheelchairs on the market with different seat to floor height options, too. You can find seat heights set at 15-, 16-, 17-, or 18-inches from the floor.

Pediatric

• Smaller frames that typically support a maximum weight of 250 pounds.
• You’ll find the seat narrower and shallower as well. They are generally around 14-inches wide and closer to 12-inches deep.
• Chairs designed for children are set a little lower to the ground, so the handles in back on some chairs have the capability of telescoping so that the adult maneuvering the wheelchair can reach the handles comfortably.

MRI Chairs

• Everything in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Suite needs to be made from non-magnetic materials.
• Some chairs are made of PVC pipe, which is not only non-magnetic but has also shown to inhibit bacteria growth.
• Typical seat and back materials are cushioned mesh sling materials.
• Features such as wheel locks and folding footrests can also be found.
• There are metal MRI chairs too. They are made of non-magnetic metals. Don’t feel that you need to be a chemical expert. Manufacturers stamp and prominently market MRI-safe chairs.

Our group then got our design caps and started thinking…and thinking…and several hours passed till we came up with an idea that we unanimously thought gave us an edge over this chair:

Our main goal was to first make it less of a pain to memorize the steps, second design it in the simplest way possible and make it as effective in doing what ← that does. our final idea was to replace the wheels or and a component that is an attachable feature so it doesn't look geeky.

Therefore comes the illustration of our prototypes:

The chair with the neat wheels

This first illustration shows our first idea. We thought of replacing a wheel with a cross so that it could sit on the corner of the stair and push on it to climb up to the next step in the same fashion. We understand in first sight the wheels are to small and the wheel chair cant function the way that it is shown here but we are being fearless and pushing our craftsmanship to the limits. We will though come with a digitized image that can be scaled. Similarly by the end of Monday we will have this model in working condition as a software called algodoo, as it is powered by physics there will be no lying if it doesn't work.

Along with that we also created a mindmap to represent all of this:

For all those of you who don’t want to read, but want to know what we did after typing sooo much here is a video that talks about it. Sorry for the black screen the file got corrupt :p

That was very tiring but extremely exciting to go into such depths to gain knowledge. We hope to execute our work as fast as possible so that we can see how we are changing the world one roller at a time.

Follow us to stay updated for more. Also check out the rishi day website to see where our passion and inspiration for science comes from.

rishiday.ga

Until next time keep rock’in and roll’in.