The adjustable sports wheelchair

A project focused on designing a new adjustable sports wheelchair for (Paralympic) wheelchair athletes.

Centre of Expertise Health Innovation

sportrolstoel

Commissioned by NOC*NSF and in collaboration with Roel van der Hooft Sports Engineering and Motion Matters, a new adjustable sports wheelchair is being designed. This will enable Paralympic wheelchair athletes to compete in a wheelchair offering low rolling resistance, optimal propulsion, and maximum seating stability and balance—one that is also tailored to the athlete's physique and the specific sport.

The Wheelchair

The adjustable sports wheelchair enables the athlete to experiment with various performance indicators to achieve an optimal setup. The Wheelchair Mobility Performance Monitor (WMPM) is used to evaluate different wheelchair configurations and provides rapid feedback on wheelchair performance. This allows for immediate assessment of how each adjustment affects speed, acceleration, maneuverability, and other performance outcomes. The insights gained are applied to the design of the individual athlete's final sports wheelchair while also contributing to broader research in the field of sports wheelchairs.

Research into optimal wheelchair propulsion

For the research group on Assistive Technology for Mobility and Sports, the development of the adjustable sports wheelchair offers opportunities to further expand research into optimal wheelchair propulsion for sports and rehabilitation. In addition, this project provides students with learning experiences in the fields of wheelchair technology, wheelchair sports, and the research that can be conducted within this domain. The research group aims to enable as many students as possible to gain these learning experiences, thereby contributing to education that reflects relevant professional practice.

Read more

The Assistive Technology for Mobility and Sports research group is conducting a project to further develop the WMPM for adjustable sports wheelchairs. Read more about the Wheelchair Performance Feedback project here.

Contact