Space Requirements for Wheeled Mobility - University at Buffalo ...

esearch project, but, it includes a multi-site effort for data collection,emphasizes the development of valid human models, and ensures that theresults can be used readily by regulators.• Key variables proposed for study include the characteristics of wheelchairs,sample demographics, univariate and three-dimensional structuralanthropometric dimensions, one-handed reaches and lifts and theiralternatives, maneuverability measures that provide standard measures of taskdifficulty for general maneuvering, door use and transferring tasks and threedimensionalinteraction with the built environment, and new methods of datapresentation designed to communicate information effectively to policy makersand designers.• The importance of data presentation for effective use by policy makers anddesigners cannot be underestimated. Without useful tools to simplify theapplication of anthropometric data in design, the data are not useful.• The proposed work plan includes five projects that would be completed overseveral years.Discussion1. A 3-D anthropometric study to provide data useful for testing threedimensionalvirtual environments developed in CAD or for humanmodeling applications; this would involve at least 2 more sites to collectdata on at least 200 people in addition to the 200 already studies at theRERC on Universal Design at Buffalo.2. A 2-D anthropometric study performed by 2 research teams to gainbasic structural anthropometric dimensions of two very large samples ofwheeled mobility device users. This study would use digitalphotography-based approaches for rapid data collection.3. A study of wheeled mobility device and accessory weights that wouldrequire a research site to work with manufacturers of chairs andaccessories to develop a database of photographs, dimensions andweights of wheeled mobility devices and their accessories.4. Maneuvering studies of wheeled mobility device users in small butrealistic mock-ups of built environments; this could involve up to threeresearch sites.5. A dissemination project that would include analyzing and systematicallyintegrating anthropometric data collected previously in the UnitedKingdom, Australia, Canada, the United States and in other countries.Results of the dissemination project would include a DVD productiondemonstrating how individuals use different mobility aids andaccessories, the space requirements associated with different devicesand an analysis of the differences in findings from country to country.Space Requirements for Wheeled Mobility 37