This project deals with lack of wheelchair control on inclined roads and paths. With current wheelchair designs, both significant braking and one-handed pushing compensation is required to maintain a straight trajectory, causing much wasted energy and lowered efficiency. My design, inspired by a local wheelchair user (and antique wicker wheelchairs as shown to the right), involves a steering handle that is attached to the front caster. [All prototyping was done on the Freedom Leverage Chair, a developing world focused off road wheelchair.] Furthermore, the handle can be flipped around and fitted with a pulling attachment to provide a convenient and sturdy way to pull the wheelchair. (Such operation is more desirable in the developing world where wheelchair users are less likely to be traveling alone.)
Freedom Leverage Chair (FLC)
Starting out with a basic prototype, feedback from community users has been positive and I have iterated the design a few times. while the original prototype was securely fixed to the wheel-axil, the new design allows the handle to be easily detached and stored. Furthermore, as per request from the local wheelchair community, a front caster braking system has been integrated into the design.