Virtual reality wheelchair project aims to train disabled patients on how to
maneuver power wheelchairs 

From: Physical Therapy Products - October / November 2003 - page 42
By: Arati Murti, Associate Editor

A group of students at Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, is developing a
virtual reality wheelchair to help patients learn how to use power
wheelchairs. As many PTs know, disabled patients sometimes need as much help
maneuvering wheelchairs, especially power wheelchairs, as they do in
performing rehabilitation exercises. 

Currently, most disabled patients who need power wheelchairs do not receive
proper training before actually using the wheelchair. Another dilemma these
patients face is that insurance companies do not provide funding for power
wheelchairs since they feel that patients with impaired physical capabilities
would not be able to operate them properly. Students working on the
interdisciplinary project hope to help patients while encouraging insurance
companies to be more willing to pay for power wheelchairs. 

"Insurance companies are reluctant to purchase power wheelchairs for disabled
individuals, since so many patients with limited strength and perception have
a hard time using them successfully," says Leslie Russek, PT, PhD, OCS,
assistant professor of physical therapy at Clarkson. "Our virtual reality
wheelchair will give these individuals the opportunity to practice operating
a simulated wheelchair before they ever maneuver a real one."  

The virtual reality system features two main components: a mechanical
platform on which a manual or power wheelchair is strapped, and a
head-mounted viewing device to see the virtual environment. Users are
immersed in the virtual environment and must navigate through simulated
obstacles. The simulator is also unique in that users receive immediate
feedback on mistakes while operating the wheelchair. Currently, the scenery
made up of basic shapes, but students are writing "world builder" software to
generate more detailed scenery, such as hallways and doorways. 

Through the wheelchair simulator, users will be able to see the virtual
environment and feel their motion through that environment. The goal is to
design environments that are progressively more physically challenging. The
program may even be able to give users a score that demonstrates how well
they are using the wheelchair. 

"With positive results from testing, this could show insurance companies that
successful training in the virtual reality wheelchair proves patients can
operate their power wheelchairs in the real world." says George Fulk, MS, PT,
instructor in the physical therapy department at Clarkson. 

After initial safety tests, the virtual wheelchair will first be tested by
non-disabled individuals and then with disabled users. "The virtual reality
wheelchair has good potential for physical therapy, because it is a way to
better document a patient's ability to use a wheelchair without having a real
one," Fulk says. "It could also prove to be more cost-effective for
rehabilitation centers since therapists would not have to spend time
following patients around."  

Students with backgrounds in mechanical engineering, computer science,
electrical computer engineering, and computer engineering are part of the
project team, working together to combine the skills they learn in the
classroom to craft a product that someday may be used by disabled patients.
Fulk became involved with the project because the courses he teaches
concentrate on people with neurological difficulties resulting from strokes
or spinal cord injuries - the types of patients who would use a wheelchair.
He provides advice to the students on topics such as what types of
disabilities those patients have and how they would access the joystick. 

"The students involved with this project experience a different aspect of
engineering," Fulk said. "They get to see how their skills can be used for a
specific individual's needs and how much they can improve someone's life."  

So far, the mechanical engineering students have designed and begun building
the platform, which will simulate wheelchair motion, including starting,
stopping, turning, and hitting bumps. The computer engineers will help
configure the joystick to the platform, while technical communications
students will document the progress of the team and put together an
instruction manual. 

The project is still in its development stage. In addition to the work needed
on the virtual and mechanical platform, students are working to ensure a safe
speed of movement while maneuvering. The hydraulics system of the mechanical
base, which controls the movement of the base, also needs work. "We're hoping
by the end of this school year to have at least begun safety testing to see
what forces it generates without people in it," Fulk said. 

The idea for the virtual reality wheelchair originated from a conversation
about the difficulties of training patients in wheelchair use. A Clarkson
University faculty member, a mechanical engineering professor, and an
occupational therapist eventually developed the idea through a joint effort
between the Clarkson University Department of Physical Therapy and the Board
of Cooperative Education Services in Potsdam. When the virtual reality
wheelchair is complete, it will be housed in Clarkson's physical therapy
department for research and training purposes.

Link:
http://www.clarkson.edu/~vrlab/vrwc/index.html