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Evaluation of the Nino® Two-Wheeled Power Mobility Device: A Pilot Study
Summary
The Nino® device, a novel two-wheeled mobility aid, showed lower performance and user confidence compared to manual wheelchairs for essential skills. While offering potential recreational benefits, safety and usability concerns limit its functional replacement potential.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Assistive Technology
- Mobility Devices
Background:
- Novel powered mobility devices aim to enhance user experience over conventional wheelchairs.
- The Nino® offers unique features like a small footprint and zero-degree turning radius.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate manual wheelchair users' proficiency with the Nino®.
- Assess task demand, user confidence, and perceptions of the Nino® device.
Main Methods:
- Twelve experienced manual wheelchair users participated.
- Evaluated wheelchair skills, user confidence (Wheelchair Use Confidence Scale), and cognitive workload (NASA-Task Load Index).
Main Results:
- Significantly lower Wheelchair Skills Test scores were observed with the Nino® compared to manual wheelchairs.
- User confidence increased post-training but remained higher with manual chairs.
- Cognitive workload was significantly higher when using the Nino®.
Conclusions:
- The Nino® is unlikely to functionally replace manual wheelchairs due to safety and usability concerns.
- Potential benefits include recreational use and preventing upper extremity overuse.
- Clinical training may be necessary for effective community use of such devices.
