Many surfaces can be difficult for manual wheelchair users to negotiate. Carpets, lawns, door thresholds, loose soil, etc. can make manual propulsion challenging. These surfaces can be especially troublesome to the many wheelchair users that have low strength, or are elderly, or have wrist, shoulder, elbow pain or injury. The exercise of self-propulsion is very important to the long-term heath of wheelchair users. Nextek is pursuing a lightweight, unobtrusive, and inexpensive manual wheelchair wheel with a low force handrim that may help users negotiate these troublesome surfaces.

Public Health Relevance

The """"""""Low Force Wheelchair Handrim"""""""" could provide manual wheelchair users with a mechanism that improves their ability to self-propel over challenging surfaces.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase I (R43)
Project #
1R43HD059334-01A2
Application #
7810495
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-MOSS-L (02))
Program Officer
Shinowara, Nancy
Project Start
2010-06-10
Project End
2012-05-31
Budget Start
2010-06-10
Budget End
2012-05-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$105,037
Indirect Cost
Name
Nextek Mobility Corporation
Department
Type
DUNS #
001378343
City
Albuquerque
State
NM
Country
United States
Zip Code
87113