{"id":239375,"date":"2017-06-06T14:13:53","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T17:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/?p=239375\/"},"modified":"2017-08-18T14:07:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-18T17:07:37","slug":"solutions-for-wheelchair-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/solutions-for-wheelchair-users\/","title":{"rendered":"Solutions for wheelchair users"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> UFABC wheelchair with three wheels on each axle…Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The collapsible manual wheelchair was invented in 1933 by Harry Jennings, a mechanical engineer from the United States.\u00a0 Today, there is a vast number of models, for those powered by arm strength as well as by motor. \u00a0While very helpful in increasing the mobility of their users, they present some difficulties in situations such as sharp inclines, irregular sidewalks and curbs with no ramps, for example.\u00a0 To overcome these obstacles, researchers and companies are looking for solutions to make wheelchairs more efficient and easier to control.\u00a0 Several research studies are currently underway in Brazil, ranging from the design of motorization kits, to systems that use facial expressions to control motorized wheelchairs.<\/p>\n

One of the most advanced, which is already on the market, was designed by mechanical engineer J\u00falio Oliveto Alves while pursuing his master\u2019s in the Guaratinguet\u00e1 School of Engineering (FEG), at S\u00e3o Paulo State University (Unesp). It consists of an electric traction system for manual wheelchairs.\u00a0 Christened Kit Livre<\/em>, it is a portable, collapsible device made up of a wheel and a rechargeable electric motor. \u201cWhen attached to a conventional wheelchair, it turns it into a motorized tricycle that can achieve speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour (km\/h) with average autonomy of 25 km,\u201d Alves explains.\u00a0 \u201cWith Kit Livre<\/em>, someone with a disability can go up and down sidewalk curbs and travel on uneven or sandy surfaces and grass, in addition to climbing hills with angles of up to 40%.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Eduardo<\/a>

…climbs stairs<\/p><\/div>\n

The idea for converting a wheelchair into a tricycle came about in 2009, while Alves was working towards his master\u2019s degree, with Victor Orlando Gamarra Rosado as his advisor. In 2012, the patent for the invention was filed with the Brazilian Industrial Property Institute (INPI) and Alves started thinking about a commercial project. \u201cIn 2013 and 2014, my brother L\u00facio and I worked on developing a business model that could allow us to market Kit Livre<\/em> all over the country,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cIn 2014, we established the company Livre \u2013 Solu\u00e7\u00f5es em Mobilidade in S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9 dos Campos [SP].\u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of that same year, they won the Santander Entrepreneurship Award, which granted them the sum of R$100,000. They used their winnings to manufacture the first commercial batch and start operations at the company in April 2015. \u201cSince then, we\u2019ve distributed our devices in 19 Brazilian states, through sales in our online and brick-and-mortar stores as well as in large retail networks,\u201d Alves reports.\u00a0 \u201cAs of now, we\u2019ve sold nearly 250 of them, at R$4,990 apiece.\u201d In addition to the Santander, the company earned other awards such as that given out by Acelera Startup, organized by the Federation of Industries of the State of S\u00e3o Paulo (Fiesp), and the FedEx Small Business Grant awarded by FedEx Brasil. \u201cOurs is a product that ensures more independence and autonomy to those who are disabled, thus increasing their ability to integrate with society while using an innovative and comfortable design,\u201d says Victor Rosado.<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> Easy maneuverability using a wheelchair that moves in every directionEduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Two other prototypes under evaluation for attachment to simple manual and flexible wheelchairs were developed under the scope of the Mobility Project by a group of professors and students in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Campinas (FEM-Unicamp), led by Professor Franco Giuseppe Dedini. One of them, called M\u00f3dulo L\u00edbero<\/em>, consists of a rechargeable electric motor and two wheels.\u00a0 It was designed to be attached to the bottom of the chair, so the chair ends up having six wheels. \u201cIt\u2019s these two extra wheels, attached to the electric motor, that will bear most of the unit\u2019s weight, facilitating the transit of the original wheels over irregularities and obstacles in the terrain,\u201d Dedini explains.<\/p>\n

Another kit is called Mochila<\/em>. Lighter and less powerful, the device is attached to the back of a wheelchair and through the use of small wheels connected to a motor, propels the vehicle.\u00a0 These kits offer some advantages over traditional motorized wheelchairs, such as weighing less and being easier to maneuver and fold for transport in automobiles.\u00a0 \u201cAnother advantage offered by the two models is the ease with which wheelchair users can connect or remove the kit whenever they want,\u201d says mechanical engineer Fl\u00e1via Bonilha Alvarenga, who earned her PhD under the supervision of Dedini, one of those responsible for the M\u00f3delo L\u00edbero<\/em> project.<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> With four uniform omnidirectional wheels, the device has small rollers that allow movement in any directionEduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The motorization kits offer another important advantage:\u00a0 lower price. \u201cToday in Brazil, motorized wheelchairs cost from R$5,000 to R$40,000, depending on their features and uses, while manual wheelchairs run from R$400 to R$6,000,\u201d Dedini says. \u201cOur Mochila<\/em> prototype cost R$1,000 and the M\u00f3dulo Libero<\/em> cost R$1,500. The target sales price for these products is somewhere between R$1,200 and R$1,800.\u00a0 But that\u2019s just an estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fausto Orsi Medola, a bioengineering researcher and professor in the School of Architecture, Arts and Communications at Unesp\u2019s Bauru campus, is developing a motorized system that is a little different.\u00a0 He is part of a group that also includes University of S\u00e3o Paulo (USP) Professor Carlos Alberto Fortulan of the S\u00e3o Carlos School of Engineering (EESC) and Professor Val\u00e9ria Elui of USP\u2019s Ribeir\u00e3o Preto School of Medicine. \u201cWhat we\u2019ve made is a manual wheelchair with motorized assistance,\u201d he explains.\u00a0 \u201cIt is manual, but has an electric motor with a rechargeable battery that can be connected when needed to increase user mobility on ramps, ascents and long distances, reducing upper arm muscle strain.\u201d To carry out the project, the group received R$27,000 in funding from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> Kit Livre: accessory that consists of a wheel, handlebars and rechargeable electric motor that can be attached to a manual wheelchairEduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Medola says that the manual wheelchair with motorized assistance that he developed is similar to models already available in the international market. \u201cThey are known as push-rim activated power assist wheelchairs,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cHowever, they have two motors, one on each back wheel, that work independently, increasing the power the user can apply to the wheels.\u00a0 Our proposal is different because it has only a single motor attached to the back wheels, which guarantees maneuverability closer to that of conventional manual wheelchairs.\u201d The prototype still needs some perfecting before it can be put on the market.<\/p>\n

In any direction<\/strong>
\nAt the Federal University of the ABC (UFABC) in Santo Andr\u00e9 (SP), researcher Lu\u00eds Alberto Martinez Riascos is working on two ambitious projects: an omnidirectional wheelchair (with wheels that go in any direction) and a wheelchair that climbs stairs.\u00a0 \u201cConventional wheelchairs are hard to move and maneuver in tight or crowded spaces,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cSimple maneuvers require a lot of clearance.\u00a0 With omnidirectional wheels, the chair can be moved in any direction, including diagonally and sideways.\u00a0 It\u2019s easier to move in small spaces.\u201d\u00a0 In this type of chair, all four wheels are the same size, unlike conventional wheelchairs whose back wheels are larger.\u00a0 Riascos explains that the chair uses omnidirectional wheels known as 45\u00b0 Mecanum or 45\u00b0 Swedish wheels. \u201cThey have rollers around the wheel that have an axis of rotation at 45\u00ba in relation to that of the chair, but with traction in the transverse direction. Appropriate combinations of the motions of the four wheels allow for any movement or rotation,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

\"\"Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a>In addition to tight spaces, wheelchair users face other problems on a daily basis, such as stairs, curbs, and irregular or bumpy terrain.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve created a wheelchair that\u2019s able to climb stairs as well as overcome other obstacles,\u201d Riascos says. The project began in 2011, and in 2012 he received funding from FAPESP. This chair is based on the principle of delta or star wheels.\u00a0 They are composed of three small wheels that spin on a single axle, enabling them to climb and descend stairs. \u201cThere is already a patent for a drive-less tri-star wheel, like those used in hand trolleys,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cBut the motorized drive system is patent protected, so we\u2019ve had to design our own model.\u201d Each delta wheel has an electric motor that is activated independently.\u00a0 On flat surfaces, it has the same autonomy as conventional [motorized] wheelchairs, close to three or four hours. \u201cIt also has another, slightly smaller motor that controls inclination of the seat-back to ensure user comfort and safety,\u201d Riascos says.<\/p>\n

For now, there are no projections for when the prototypes will become commercially available, or what their estimated price will be. \u201cThere are still some issues that need to be resolved, such as control and the ability to handle certain maneuvers,\u201d Riascos says. He notes that there are wheelchair models that go up and down stairs already available in the international market, the best in his opinion being the French-made Top Chair<\/em>. The problem is its price: it costs R$75,000.<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> Two prototypes in development at Unicamp: the Mochila (left), which is a device that can be attached to a conventional wheelchair to propel the vehicle…Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

There is also China\u2019s Observer<\/em> model and the iBOT<\/em> from the United States, which was taken off the market due to safety issues.\u00a0 \u201cThe prototype we developed allows for instant transition from flat surface to stairs and vice-versa, while the Top Chair<\/em> has wheels for flat surfaces and a system much like a conveyor belt for stairs,\u201d he explains.\u00a0 \u201cAnother advantage that we offer is the weight.\u00a0 The one we built weighs 78 kg, nearly half the weight of our competitors\u2019 models \u2013 Top Chair<\/em> weighs140 kg, the Observer<\/em> weighs 197 kg and the iBOT<\/em> weighs 131 kg.\u201d<\/p>\n

The math behind the smile\u00a0<\/strong>
\nIn order to meet the demands of a public that has more severe physical disabilities, such as quadriplegics who are only able to move their facial muscles, computer scientist Paulo Gurgel Pinheiro has developed a computer program that can translate facial expressions, such as a kiss, smile or raised eyebrow, into wheelchair commands such as forwards, backwards and spin.\u00a0 \u201cThis is how people who have lost the ability to move their arms and legs can control a motorized wheelchair,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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Eduardo Cesar<\/span><\/a> …and the L\u00edbero, with electric motor and two additional wheelsEduardo Cesar<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Known as Wheelie<\/em>, the software can be installed on any computer.\u00a0 It uses a small 3D camera to capture points on one\u2019s face, around the eyes, mouth and nose.\u00a0 \u201cThe program uses nearly 80 of these points,\u201d Pinheiro says.\u00a0 \u201cThen the app analyzes them to try to extract the facial expression that the user may be making.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0It\u2019s possible to configure a command for each expression.\u00a0 For example, a kiss moves the wheelchair forwards, a raised eyebrow makes it turn left.\u00a0 \u201cThe user chooses which expressions he is able to make more comfortably and the relationship it will have in operating the wheelchair,\u201d he explains.\u00a0 Pinheiro says that similar models on the international market do not have the same efficiency.\u00a0 \u201cAll the solutions currently available for hands-free control of wheelchairs require people to use some sort of wearable sensor,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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Paulo Pinheiro<\/span><\/a> The software uses a 3D camera to capture facial expressions that are then translated into wheelchair movement, such as moving forwards and backwardsPaulo Pinheiro<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The Wheelie<\/em> program was designed to understand the face of any user.\u00a0 \u201cLike humans, it recognizes someone\u2019s smile in real time, precisely because the mathematics behind all smiles is the same,\u201d he explains. He says that the project began in August 2015.\u00a0 \u201cEven before setting up the company we developed a simple functional prototype to demonstrate the program\u2019s potential. Now, less than six months after the PIPE [Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program] investment, our algorithm is classifying twice the number of expressions in half the time,\u201d he asserts.\u00a0 \u201cIn addition to FAPESP funding, we\u2019ve obtained funding from Intel through its Intel Innovator Program that supports innovative ideas all over the world,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cThe company helps us with infrastructure, advertising and networking.\u201d\u00a0 The goal is to have the product on the market by late 2018.\u00a0 The startup Hoobox Robotics was founded for this purpose. \u201cThe idea is to sell the software to large wheelchair manufacturers who would then equip their products with it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Projects<\/strong>
\n1.<\/strong> Design and construction of more accessible wheelchairs (n\u00ba 2012\/04915-0<\/a>); Grant Mechanism<\/strong>\u00a0Regular Research Grant; Principal Investigator<\/strong>\u00a0Luis Alberto Martinez Riascos (UFABC); Investment<\/strong>\u00a0R$\u00a095,161.77.
\n2.<\/strong> Wheelie and Gimme, innovative technology to drive motorized wheelchairs (n\u00ba 2015\/22624-1<\/a>); Grant Mechanism\u00a0<\/strong>Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program (PIPE); Principal Investigator<\/strong>\u00a0Paulo Gurgel Pinheiro (Hoobox Robotics); Investment<\/strong>\u00a0R$26,700.00.
\n3.<\/strong> Wheelchair mobility: implications of the design on the kinetic, biomechanical and perceptive aspects (n\u00ba 2016\/05026-6<\/a>); Grant Mechanism<\/strong>\u00a0Regular Research Grant; Principal Investigator<\/strong>\u00a0Fausto Orsi Medola\u00a0(Unesp); Investment<\/strong>\u00a0R$90,567.00.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New designs promise to make life easier for those who depend on wheelchairs ","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1560,169],"tags":[228,243],"coauthors":[112],"class_list":["post-239375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-innovative-research-in-small-business-pipe-en","category-technology","tag-engineering","tag-innovation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=239375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/239375\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=239375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=239375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=239375"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=239375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}