Citation

Reed MP, van Roosmalen L. Appl. Ergon. 2005; 36(5): 523-528.

Affiliation

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, 2901 Baxter Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. mreed@umich.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apergo.2005.04.002

PMID

15939393

Abstract

A method was developed to assess the reach capability of people seated in wheelchairs for purposes of establishing design and placement requirements for safety belts used by vehicle occupants who are seated in wheelchairs. The method uses simple technology and is intended to be readily implemented in the field. Participants use a marker to draw their acceptable reach zone on a vertical surface placed adjacent to the wheelchair. A pilot study with 10 wheelchair users showed that the method generates easily interpreted data quickly. Even with a small number of participants, the results from the pilot study provide useful information for designers of restraint systems for wheelchair-seated vehicle occupants.

Language: en