Title:Development of an electrical four-wheeled mover Fit, A new concept to unify driving elements
Author:Satoshi HIRANO,Yoshio FUJINUMA,Katsuo SAGAWA,Toshihide OHTAKA, Yasuhiko OHSHIRO(IBARAKI Prefectual Industrial Technology Center) Takashi HASUMI(TSUKUBA University)
Proceedings of 12th Japanese Conference of Advancement of Rehabilitation Technology. vol.12,pp. 57-58(August,1997)
Keywords:
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
Satoshi HIRANO (IBARAKI Prefectual Industrial Technology Center)
TEL:029-293-7212


Abstract:
This paper describes development of "Fit" which is a new powered wheelchair for older people. As results of interview investigations, adapted characteristics of powered wheelchair designs for older people were found as follows. 1)A sporty design which does not imagine wheelchair. 2)A compact design which looks easy to move everywhere. Based on these results, a powered wheelchair for older people to work inside was developed. One of the main characteristics of it was unifying a motor, batteries and control electronic circuit. This caused easy development of powered wheelchairs for each user and each environment just to design its main flame. Since a main flame developed in this paper aimed at desk work, it didn't have arm rests. This new design didn't feel like wheelchairs. Additionally, it was easy to put it into a regular car after taking apart the drive unit.