The impact of wheelchairs driving support systems on the rolling resistance coefficient

Abstract

Abstract The 21stcentury is characterized by an increase in the obesity of society, including people with disabilities. The increase in the weight of people in wheelchairs requires them to have more power to drive these types of vehicles. Diseases and a varied level of disability or infirmity may lead to the inability to overcome the resistance of a vehicle driven by muscle power, such as a wheelchair. The solution to this problem are systems supporting the motion of this type of vehicles among which we can distinguish electric-manual hybrid drives that add energy to the drive system and systems that reduce the amount of force necessary for the movement of the cart lowering at the same time of its moving speed. Systems and mechanisms that have been developed for this purpose contain an increased number of cooperating elements than in a classic wheelchair, leading to an increase in rolling resistance. The article presents the methodology and test results of rolling resistance coefficients of wheelchairs with innovative systems supporting their propulsion showing that the tested auxiliary drives generate an increase in rolling resistance of vehicles for the disabled from 30 % to 75 %.