Volume 50 Number 7, 2013
Pages 1017 — 1034
Abstract — Evaluation of scooters using ANSI/RESNA standards
Ana E. Souza, PhD, PT;1–2 Jonathan L. Pearlman, PhD;1 Rosemarie Cooper, MPT;1–2 Annmarie Kelleher, OTR/L, MS;1–2 Benjamin Gebrosky, BS;1 Rory A. Cooper, PhD1–2*
1Human Engineering Research Laboratories, Department of Veterans Affairs, Pittsburgh, PA; 2Rehabilitation Science and Technology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Abstract — To date, only one research study has evaluated how scooters respond to static and dynamic stability. However, no other studies have evaluated how scooters respond to adverse conditions and how they perform in all standard tests. A selection of 12 three-wheeled scooters was tested according to American National Standards Institute/Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (ANSI/RESNA) wheelchair standards. Scooter models included the Victory, Gogo, Golden Companion (GC) I, and GC II. Victory and GC II were the most stable scooters. The Gogo scooters were the least dynamically stable. Five scooters (3 Gogo, 1 GC I, 1 GC II) failed the environmental condition tests. All GC I and II scooters failed parts of the power and control system tests. All scooters passed static and impact tests; however, all Gogo scooters and one GC II scooter had structural or motor failure during durability tests. The scooter models– survival life ranged from 62,512 to 1,178,230 cycles out of the 400,000 needed to pass the test. Tiller failures (typically tiller tube snapping) occurred with an average of 1,483 N force applied to the tiller structure. Our results indicate that these commercially available devices may not meet ANSI/RESNA standards. In addition, the tiller test should be conducted with scooters to further ensure their safety and durability and should use a test dummy with weight capacity according to the mobility device capacity.
Key words: ANSI/RESNA, durability tests, failure, fatigue life, mobility devices, scooters, stability, tiller test, wheelchairs, wheelchair standards.
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This article and any supplementary material should be cited as follows:
Souza AE, Pearlman JL, Cooper R, Kelleher A, Gebrosky B, Cooper RA. Evaluation of scooters using ANSI/RESNA standards. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013;50(7): 1017–34.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2011.03.0054
Souza AE, Pearlman JL, Cooper R, Kelleher A, Gebrosky B, Cooper RA. Evaluation of scooters using ANSI/RESNA standards. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013;50(7): 1017–34.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2011.03.0054
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