Secondary Controls for Electric Wheelchairs

People use power chairs in pretty much all corners of the world. They can greatly improve the ease with which those who are mobility challenged can move around.

Power chairs have traditionally been battery powered. Gasoline powered wheelchairs have been tried, but for indoor use they are impractical. The engines can also get very hot and can be dangerous, so really battery powered wheelchairs are the only safe choice.

Using an electric wheelchair is in most cases done by a joystick that is attached to the handlebar of the chair. There are also other types of secondary controls available for those who can not easily operate the hand controls. Several head switch systems are available that allow the chair to be controlled by the head.

For those that can not easily move their head or those that find the head controls awkward, the Sip-N-Puff control has long been the only option. This control allows the user to control their chair by their breath. The ergonomically shaped mouth piece fits easily into the mouth and when the user breathes in or out the chair is activated. In addition to being used on wheelchairs, this type of control can be applied to other types of devices like computers. There is even a sail boat that has been configured to allow complete control by utilizing the Sip-N-Puff system. In addition to steering, the sails are also controlled with this system.

Recently a new type of control system has been developed. It is currently still in the testing stage, but this system allows the power chair to be controlled by the movements of the tongue. The occupant must wear a headset with two magnetic sensors that extend to the front of the mouth. A small magnet is then affixed to the tongue and the movements of the tongue can then be picked up by the sensor.

The reason the inventors decided to focus on the tongue is because it has a very good chance of retaining its ability to move, even in cases of severe disability. This is because the tongue does not communicate through the spinal cord, like the hands and feet do. Instead it is attached to the brain through a short cranial nerve. This means there is a very good likelihood that the person will be able to continue moving their tongue.

Like the Sip-N-Puff system, the tongue control system can be used to control computers or other objects as well and is incredibly accurate.

Testing is currently taking place for this system in Georgia. To learn more check out their news release.

Wheelchair Basketball

There are many millions of Americans that use wheelchairs and without them might not be able to get around. Due to regulations by the government, many public areas are accessible to people in wheelchairs. While many people only use their wheelchair as a means of getting around, some choose to play sports such as basketball in their chair.

Wheelchair basketball has been played in the US since the 1940’s. The first known game is usually attributed to a group of disabled veterans from World War II. It quickly gained popularity after this first game and today it is played worldwide by thousands of people.

The rules of wheelchair basketball are very similar to those of regular basketball, but several changes have been made. For instance when a person takes control of the ball they can only touch their wheels twice before passing, bouncing, or shooting the ball. Otherwise they would be classified as traveling. If the player tilts the chair far enough back that the anti-tip wheels come in contact with the court, the ball is awarded to the other team. While some of the rules are different, a 10-foot basketball hoop and standard sized court are used.

When playing recreationally the skills of a player are rated on a point scale between 1 to 4.5. These ratings are used to help keep teams balanced among players who many times vary in skill. Some teams allow non-disabled people to play and they are rated as 5’s.

It is important for everyone to have a hobby or thing that they enjoy doing. For many people who use wheelchairs, wheelchair basketball is a great way to have some fun and stay active.

Franklin Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only president to have served more than two terms as president. He lead our country during 1930’s while we were experiencing the great depression and he helped us stay strong during World War II. It was not always well known, but he suffered from Guillain-Barre syndrome that caused him to loose the ability to walk. This disease caused him to spend the later part of his life in a wheelchair.

While Roosevelt spent many years in his wheelchair and his entire presidency in it, he refused to let it limit him. There are few pictures of him in a wheelchair though, because he feared Americans would see it as a disability.

In 1997 the FDR Memorial opened including a very large statue of Roosevelt sitting in a chair. He is covered by a cloak and barely visible are two small wheels in the back of the chair. A year after its opening, the National Park Service agreed to add a second statue showing him sitting in a wheelchair. This was after numerous complaints by associations like the National Organization on Disability, who pointed out how it was a disgrace to hide the fact that he was in a wheelchair.

In 2001 the first statue ever to show a world leader sitting in a wheelchair was unveiled. It was dedicated by President Clinton and marks a very proud day for the many millions of Americans that use wheelchairs everyday.