Preliminary Experimental Test of a Cable-Driven Wheelchair in Different Configurations

The paper presents the experimental tests of a manual wheelchair, named Handwheelchair.Q, that utilizes an innovative propulsion system composed of a system of cables and pulleys and a gesture inspired by the rowing motion. This prototype has been developed in order to increase the autonomy of the wheelchair users and to facilitate the practice of physical activity and sport. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of this prototype in three different configurations. In the experimental trials, the wheel angular speeds and the left and right hand forces exerted by the user are monitored and presented. From the obtained results, the efficiency of each configuration and its specific characteristics are discussed.