Wheelchair Design Wins $20,000 Grand Prize in Global Design Contest
From: Tech Briefs Insider - 10/05/2010

A new invention could help millions of manual wheelchair users increase their
mobility while decreasing upper body, repetitive stress injuries. Many who
suffer from muscle pain, torn rotator cuffs, joint degeneration, and carpal
tunnel syndrome will benefit from the Rowheel Wheelchair Propulsion System,
which uses a pulling/rowing motion as opposed to a standard pushing
technique. The innovative design won the $20,000 grand prize in this year's
Create the Future Design Contest, sponsored by PTC®, COMSOL, and Tech Briefs
Media. Finalists were selected by senior editors at Tech Briefs Media Group
and judged by an independent panel of design engineers.  

Developed by Salim Nasser of Merritt Island, FL, the Rowheel System design
adapts a planetary gear system at the center of the wheel, which reverses the
pulling motion of the user into a forward motion of the chair. The unique
change provides an overall increase in user endurance and range. Mr. Nasser,
who is himself wheelchair-bound, originally designed the system as his senior
design project while attending Florida International University (FIU). 

Read the entire article at:
http://contest.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/1098

Links:
Rowheel Wheelchair Propulsion System
http://contest.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/589
http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/8798

Salim Nasser's better wheelchair: Rowing the wheels rather than pushing them
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/salim_nassers_better_wheelchair_rowing_the_wheels_rather_than_pushing_them_17549.asp

Building a better wheelchair
http://eckiller.com/tag/salim-nasser