Danelle Fuller & Hina Mahmood

Hina_Danella

Project Title:  Comparison of the standard joystick and JoyBar power wheelchair control

Authors:  Danelle Fuller, Hina Mahmood, Emma Smith & Bill Miller

Introduction: The JoyBar is a scooter-style tiller control for powered wheelchairs that separates speed and direction, requiring minimal fine motor control. Operating a power wheelchair with a standard joystick requires the user to control speed and direction simultaneously, making discrete maneuvers difficult. This pilot study evaluates driving maneuverability and task load associated with using these wheelchair control systems.

Objectives: To  compare the maneuverability of a powered wheelchair using the JoyBar versus a standard operating joystick. We hypothesize that the study procedures will be feasible to implement, and that participants using the JoyBar will score significantly better on maneuverability and report a lower task workload.

Approach: Using a randomized control trial, 24 ambulatory older adults (Age>60), who have minimal wheelchair use experience will be assigned to the intervention (tiller) or control group (joystick) using a randomized table. After 15 minutes of practice using the wheelchair in the assigned condition, both groups will complete two maneuverability tasks (three attempts at each task) using either the JoyBar tiller or standard joystick, as assigned. Scores will be calculated using mean completion time (nearest second) and mean number of errors across the three attempts. A questionnaire will be administered to measure task workload. Data will be analyzed using a T-Test.

Practice Implications: The JoyBar tiller presents as an interesting alternative form of power wheelchair control which may provide better maneuverability for new users.

Conclusion: The results of this study will suggest whether confirmatory studies of effectiveness of the JoyBar tiller are worth pursuing.