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Types of Self Control Wheelchairs Self-control wheelchairs are utilized by many people with disabilities to move around. These chairs are great for daily mobility and are able to overcome obstacles and hills. They also have large rear shock-absorbing nylon tires that are flat-free. The speed of translation of the wheelchair was measured using a local potential field method. Each feature vector was fed to a Gaussian encoder that outputs a discrete probabilistic distribution. The accumulated evidence was then used to trigger visual feedback, and an instruction was issued when the threshold had been exceeded. Wheelchairs with hand-rims The kind of wheels a wheelchair has can impact its mobility and ability to maneuver various terrains. Wheels with hand rims can help relieve wrist strain and improve comfort for the user. Wheel rims for wheelchairs are available in steel, aluminum or plastic, as well as other materials. They also come in various sizes. They can be coated with rubber or vinyl to provide better grip. Some are ergonomically designed with features like shapes that fit the grip of the user and broad surfaces to provide full-hand contact. This allows them to distribute pressure more evenly, and prevents fingertip pressing. Recent research has shown that flexible hand rims reduce impact forces as well as wrist and finger flexor activities in wheelchair propulsion. They also have a wider gripping area than tubular rims that are standard. This allows the user to exert less pressure while maintaining the rim's stability and control. These rims are available at a wide range of online retailers as well as DME providers. The study's findings showed that 90% of the respondents who had used the rims were satisfied with the rims. However it is important to note that this was a mail survey of people who purchased the hand rims from Three Rivers Holdings and did not necessarily represent all wheelchair users suffering from SCI. The survey also did not evaluate the actual changes in pain or symptoms however, it was only a measure of whether people felt that there was an improvement. There are four models available: the large, medium and light. The light is an oblong rim with small diameter, while the oval-shaped large and medium are also available. lightweight self propelling wheelchair are also a little bigger in diameter and feature an ergonomically shaped gripping surface. All of these rims are mounted on the front of the wheelchair and are purchased in a variety of shades, from natural- a light tan color -to flashy blue, red, green, or jet black. They also have quick-release capabilities and can be easily removed for cleaning or maintenance. Additionally the rims are encased with a rubber or vinyl coating that can protect the hands from sliding across the rims, causing discomfort. Wheelchairs with tongue drive Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new system that allows users to move around in a wheelchair as well as control other digital devices by moving their tongues. It is made up of a small tongue stud that has an electronic strip that transmits signals from the headset to the mobile phone. The phone then converts the signals into commands that control a wheelchair or other device. The prototype was tested with healthy people and spinal injured patients in clinical trials. To evaluate the effectiveness of this system, a group of physically able people used it to complete tasks that assessed input speed and accuracy. They completed tasks based on Fitts' law, including the use of a mouse and keyboard and a maze navigation task with both the TDS and the standard joystick. The prototype had an emergency override button in red and a companion was present to assist the participants in pressing it if necessary. The TDS performed just as a normal joystick. In a separate test, the TDS was compared with the sip and puff system. This allows people with tetraplegia control their electric wheelchairs by sucking or blowing into straws. The TDS was able of performing tasks three times faster and with better accuracy than the sip-and-puff system. In fact, the TDS was able to operate a wheelchair more precisely than even a person suffering from tetraplegia that controls their chair using a specially designed joystick. The TDS could monitor tongue position to a precision of under one millimeter. It also came with a camera system which captured eye movements of an individual to interpret and detect their movements. Software safety features were also integrated, which checked valid user inputs twenty times per second. If a valid user input for UI direction control was not received for a period of 100 milliseconds, the interface modules automatically stopped the wheelchair. The next step for the team is to test the TDS on individuals with severe disabilities. To conduct these trials they have partnered with The Shepherd Center which is a critical health center in Atlanta as well as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. They intend to improve the system's tolerance to lighting conditions in the ambient and add additional camera systems and allow repositioning to accommodate different seating positions. Wheelchairs that have a joystick A power wheelchair with a joystick allows clients to control their mobility device without having to rely on their arms. It can be placed in the middle of the drive unit or on the opposite side. It is also available with a display to show information to the user. Some of these screens are large and have backlights to make them more noticeable. Some screens are smaller and others may contain images or symbols that could assist the user. The joystick can be adjusted to fit different hand sizes and grips as well as the distance of the buttons from the center. As the technology for power wheelchairs advanced as it did, clinicians were able develop alternative driver controls that allowed clients to maximize their potential. These advancements allow them to do this in a way that is comfortable for end users. For instance, a standard joystick is an input device that uses the amount of deflection in its gimble to produce an output that grows as you exert force. This is similar to the way video game controllers or accelerator pedals for cars function. However, this system requires good motor function, proprioception and finger strength to function effectively. Another type of control is the tongue drive system, which utilizes the position of the user's tongue to determine the direction to steer. A magnetic tongue stud relays this information to a headset, which can execute up to six commands. It is suitable for people with tetraplegia and quadriplegia. Compared to the standard joysticks, some alternatives require less force and deflection in order to operate, which is especially helpful for users who have limitations in strength or movement. Others can even be operated by a single finger, making them perfect for those who can't use their hands at all or have minimal movement. Some control systems also have multiple profiles that can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of each user. This is essential for novice users who might have to alter the settings regularly when they feel fatigued or experience a flare-up in a disease. It is also useful for an experienced user who wishes to change the parameters that are set up for a specific location or activity. Wheelchairs with steering wheels Self-propelled wheelchairs are used by people who need to move themselves on flat surfaces or up small hills. They come with large rear wheels for the user to grip as they propel themselves. They also have hand rims, which allow the individual to utilize their upper body strength and mobility to control the wheelchair in either a forward or reverse direction. Self-propelled chairs are able to be fitted with a range of accessories, including seatbelts and drop-down armrests. They may also have swing away legrests. Some models can be converted to Attendant Controlled Wheelchairs, which allow family members and caregivers to drive and control wheelchairs for those who require more assistance. Three wearable sensors were affixed to the wheelchairs of the participants to determine the kinematics parameters. The sensors monitored movement for a week. The gyroscopic sensors mounted on the wheels and attached to the frame were used to determine wheeled distances and directions. To distinguish between straight forward movements and turns, the period of time during which the velocity differences between the left and the right wheels were less than 0.05m/s was considered straight. Turns were further studied in the remaining segments and turning angles and radii were calculated from the reconstructed wheeled path. The study involved 14 participants. They were evaluated for their navigation accuracy and command latency. They were required to steer a wheelchair through four different wayspoints in an ecological field. During navigation tests, sensors followed the wheelchair's movement throughout the entire route. Each trial was repeated at minimum twice. After each trial participants were asked to choose a direction in which the wheelchair should move. The results showed that a majority of participants were able to complete navigation tasks even when they didn't always follow correct directions. On the average, 47% of the turns were correctly completed. The remaining 23% their turns were either stopped directly after the turn, wheeled a later turning turn, or superseded by a simpler move. These results are similar to those of previous research.