Design and development of a self-propelled indoor wheelchair with direct toilet accessibility

Existing wheelchair (WC) designs lack independent toilet accessibility, transferability and indoor manoeuvrability combined in a WC. In this regard, a new WC model is proposed to simultaneously accommodate these distinct and essential features. In this open-source hardware project, the design, analysis and fabrication of a new active commode WC for indoor applications are performed.

A field survey is conducted to identify the requirements of users so as to choose specific features and design constraints for the WC. In this multipurpose self-propelled model, a temporarily detachable circular section is fitted in the seat position to access the water closet bowl. This hinged portion can be released by gravity before reaching above the closet basin. After the toilet usage, the circular lid can be brought back to the initial seating using a lever mechanism and a spring-loaded lock restrains its downward movement. Thereafter, it can be used as an ordinary WC for indoor applications. Moreover, a small wheel with 22 in diameter and removable hand-rests ensured the transferability between utilities. A CAD model is prepared and numerical simulation is performed to verify the structural stability of the design.

The optimized model is fabricated using standard manufacturing practices and is delivered to different persons with disabilities to collect user feedback. A systematic skill test is conducted to validate the compliance of the prototype with the user requirements including transferability and independent restroom access.

The opinions from most of the users are positive which categorically indicated that the proposed design addresses the multipurpose mobility requirements at indoors.Implications for rehabilitationThe expected outcomes and implications of the current commode WC project with regard to rehabilitation purpose are enlisted below:In the present scenario, a WC user is heavily dependent on external assistance to access private spaces in general and toilets in particular. The introduced model is capable to address this shortcoming by enabling the user to access the toilet utility directly by self propelling.Indeed, for a person with locomotor disability, a WC is the natural extension of his physical body. Thereby, this multipurpose commode WC design offers much Independence and greater flexibility to the indoor movements.The proposed design instils confidence to a WC user to access and transfer between facilities by means of self effort. Consequently it is expected to improve the quality of one's personal life significantly.Importantly, this is an open-source project, those who are interested in rehabilitation motives can modify the present design to suit their local requirements especially in resource-limited settings.