Running head: DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 1

Designing a folding wheelchair with easy storage in an automobile

Falak S. Patel

December 01, 2021

Lambton College

Professional Communication COM-3013-20

Robin Persad
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 2

Abstract

It is vital to consider the safety of a human when utilizing a product before considering any

other aspect. The wheelchair concept has evolved in a dynamic way over time. Several studies

have been published that show that using a wheelchair on a regular basis has a negative

influence on human health. To fill a vacuum in the literature, this study will focus on developing

a wheelchair that can be easily stored in a car when not in use, taking up the least amount of

space feasible within the vehicle's system, whether it's a car, public transportation, or other

forms of transportation. This will be a mixed methods project with a sequential exploratory

design. An ethnographic study will be undertaken in the qualitative phase, and surveys will be

conducted in the quantitative phase. Data coding and thematic analysis will be employed in the

qualitative phase, while descriptive statistics will be used in the quantitative phase. This

research will not only gather more information about how wheelchair users perceive them, but

it will also identify potential changes that need to be made to current wheelchair technology to

reduce the health hazards associated with them.

Keywords: phase, coding, literature, surveys, analysis, wheelchair, transportation,

methods, data, statistics

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 3

Table of Content

Abstract................................................................................................................................2

Introduction.........................................................................................................................4

Problem Statement..........................................................................................................4

Purpose of the study........................................................................................................5

Limitations.......................................................................................................................6

Background..........................................................................................................................7

Material Selection............................................................................................................7

Development...................................................................................................................8

Ergonomic and Compact Design......................................................................................9

Results and Discussion.........................................................................................................9

Research Design.............................................................................................................10

Target population and sample.......................................................................................11

Conclusions and recommendations..................................................................................11

Advantages and Limitations of the Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Design....12

Ethical Consideration.....................................................................................................12

References.........................................................................................................................14
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 4
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 5

Introduction

Problem Statement

The Wheelchair Foundation indicated in a statement made in 2016 that an estimated 1% of the

population in industrialized countries requires a wheelchair, but an estimated 2% of the

population in developing countries needed a wheelchair. Between underdeveloped and

industrialized countries, the entire population of people with physical disabilities and

wheelchair access differs greatly. Only approximately ten percent of people with physical

disabilities in developing nations have access to a wheelchair, compared to 90 percent or more

in developed countries. Due to the rising worldwide population, more than 3000 new

wheelchairs are required every day (Wheelchair Foundation, 2016).

Additional research and development are required to make wheelchair technology more secure,

gradually viable, and generally accessible. A disabled person who is dependent on a wheelchair

for the duration of its use cycle faces several obstacles. Because of developments in wheelchair

technology, the health hazards associated with driving a wheelchair have decreased

considerably over the previous decade. Although the research contains several case studies that

focus on the personal hazards associated with using a wheelchair over time, some aspects of

the wheelchair remain unexplored. Internal pressures act on the muscles when transferring a

wheelchair into a car, a transit bus, or any other vehicle designed to transport a user. If the

wheelchair is lifted inappropriately or due to a defective lifting device, these pressures put a

strain on the muscles.

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 6

Furthermore, an elevating device may need additional space in the vehicle in which the

individual is travelling. In addition, not every car will be equipped with a rising gear. As a result,

designing a wheelchair that poses the fewest health risks during its usage cycle is vital if the

wheelchair user is to receive the highest degree of customer satisfaction.

Purpose of the study

When examined over a longer period of time, the impact of wheelchair use on the user's health

is found to be significant. As a result, the study's sample and population should be specially

picked by taking into account a respondent's wheelchair use cycle. The purpose of this

sequential exploratory mixed methods study is to learn about the problems that a wheelchair

user confronts when transitioning from a wheelchair to a car or other vehicle. The research is

expected to give themes based on focus groups conducted during the qualitative phase, narrow

down the data by selecting the most important themes, and obtain statistical results by

surveying a sample of the target population who are currently using a wheelchair to gather

specific information and data related to the selected themes. In the qualitative phase of the

study, ten focus groups were selected based on the age of the participants. Participants under

the age of 25 will be the focus of the first, second, and third focus groups, which will each

feature eight members. Individuals aged 25 to 50 will participate in the fourth, fifth, and sixth

focus groups, each with 20 participants, while those aged 40 and more will participate in the

seventh, eighth, and ninth focus groups, each with 8 participants. Finally, a tenth focus group

with 15 participants of all ages will be organised, but the participants will not be the same as

the preceding three focus groups. The wheelchair's usefulness in each age group will determine
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 7

the age range of participants in each focus group. Since it is well documented that a person's

capacity to function is highly influenced by their age and level of handicap, selecting people for

each of the four focus groups will take this into account. In the quantitative research, the data is

then coded, and themes are generalised and studied further. The data will be evaluated

conceptually, and standardised measures will be found that correspond to the qualitative

conclusions. In the second step, the quantitative phase, the survey instrument is created using

standardised measures as well as some additional new measures from the literature.

Instrument-scale development methodologies will be used to validate the measures.

Limitations

Mixed methods research is a methodology that incorporates more specialized data and problem

understanding, resulting in big datasets. By triangulating the multiple proof outcomes, it also

helps to improve the consistency and validity of discoveries. This allows for speculation about

the examination's findings. In any case, it's a method that, by all accounts, is tough to

implement and will demand a great deal of research and interpretation. The researcher may be

irritated by the addition of time and resources.

No single strategy is without flaws, and different approaches can provide comparable data that

compensates for the shortcomings of using just one. Blended strategy research can provide

more comprehensive, bottom-to-top, and increasingly relevant data: no single strategy is

without flaws, and different approaches can provide comparable data that compensates for the

shortcomings of using just one. From the start, you must decide how you will organise the

outcomes of your numerous explorations.

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 8

It's also crucial to identify whether the various techniques reflect different epistemic

methodologies while performing mixed methods sequential exploratory research (e.g.,

pragmatist versus social constructionist). If this is the case, there may be problems since, in

addition to doing well in each subject, one must also confirm what some believe to be rival

epistemologies. Following a thorough assessment of each worldview, I will concentrate on the

philosophical presuppositions of the constructivist worldview. In addition, during the

quantitative phase, a philosophical assumption specific to the postpositivist worldview will be

established. Furthermore, as the process moves closer to the final interpretation, a new set of

assumptions may be adopted depending on the results obtained from the combined qualitative

and quantitative data. Because audio and video recordings will be used to learn more about the

topic's investigation, maintaining confidentiality throughout the qualitative phase of focus

groups may be problematic. Separating the results based on causes vs. reactions may result in

variation in the outcomes, therefore additional analysis may be required when assessing the

qualitative data for the focus group. The quantitative phase's key disadvantage will be the

collecting and analysis of quantitative data in a five-month time frame. During the quantitative

phase, IBM SPSS software may be required for specialized data analysis techniques. The

findings' final interpretation could reveal fresh knowledge on how a wheelchair impacts human

anatomy. It will open the way for more future studies.

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 9

Background

Material Selection

To maintain a healthy relationship between a wheelchair and its user, the best material

for the wheelchair's components must be used. It's crucial to choose the right edge material for

one's lifestyle. The most common characteristics that separate a wheelchair from others are its

durability and weight-to-weight ratio. Additionally, choosing an efficient material involves taking

into account component manufacturability, product life cycle, and consumer suitability.

In 2015, the total amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced in cities was 262.4 million

tonnes (US short tonnes, unless otherwise noted), over 3.5 million tonnes more than in 2014. In

2015, MSW reached 4.48 pounds per person per day. It's up from 259 million tonnes in 2014

and 208.3 million tonnes in 1990. ("Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste, and Recycling,"

2016).

Development

A product's reverse engineering (RE) can provide valuable information about it. The RE is

now an established part of modern item design and assembly. In a nutshell, the RE approach is

a procedure that leads to the creation of a mathematical model from a physical model. The RE

method's main purpose is to transform a physical model into a realistic model (example: surface

triangulated). 3D-examining (digitizing) technologies that are backed up by specific

programming for model recreating are crucial in this regard. A non-traditional approach to

product development is a modern product development technique in which designers use

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 10

qualitative feedback from customers to help produce a better and more efficient future model

(Sokovic, 2006).

Ergonomic and Compact Design

Manufacturers have benefited from the development of europium's efficacy in

microstructural modification of high strength lightweight aluminium components, which has

enabled them in developing a material that may be utilised in wheelchairs (Mazahery, 2019).

Results and Discussion

The study's main goal is to collect data from wheelchair users on their mobility,

independence, health risks connected with wheelchair use, self-esteem and self-confidence,

quality of life, and community access. Based on the themes generated using the coded data of

interview and focus group observations, the study will analyse the general themes and select

the significant factors by analysing the information generated in the qualitative phase and

studying the factors in the reduced model further by using a quantitative aspect. During the

quantitative phase, data will be collected through surveys. Surveys can be a time-consuming

approach to get feedback from clients. As a result, some parameters must be met when

selecting a survey type.

DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 11

Research Design

Target population and sample

There are two types of people in the population: target and accessible. A target population is a

group of people to whom a researcher wants to apply the findings of a study. The accessible

population of a researcher is usually a subset of the target population to which they have

sufficient access. Because testing outside of the United States is not practicable, the study's

population will be a group that is easily accessible.

The size of the sample and the type of sampling strategy are both crucial aspects of the research

process. This study will use stratified random sampling because the participants will be

separated into groups based on their age. You'll need the population size, margin of error, and z-
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 12

score to determine the sample size statistically. The following formula can be used to estimate

2
z × p ( 1− p )
e2
the proper sample size for a study: S= , where z is the z-score, p is the
z 2 × p ( 1− p )
1+
e2 N

predictor, e is the margin of error, N is the population size, and S is the sample size, and N is the

population size. The number of wheelchair users in the United States was estimated using a

census survey completed in 2016.

Conclusions and recommendations

In qualitative research, triangulation is a strategy through which a researcher assures that the

data he or she obtains, analyses, and interprets is substantial and credible. The reason for this is

that the researcher is close to the data in subjective research, which promotes subjectivity. As a

result, the researcher relies on triangulating philosophy, the research study's hypothetical

framework, and data interpretation to reduce subjectivity and make subjective research periods

more objective and reliable (Mackey & Gass, 2016). Triangulation will yield information that is

robust, rich, full, and well-developed. For example, triangulation of sources will examine the

consistency of multiple information sources within a same study dimension. Using perspective

triangulation, data will be tested and analyzed from several theoretical perspectives.
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 13

Advantages and Limitations of the Exploratory Sequential Mixed

Methods Design

Mixed methods research, which mixes qualitative and quantitative procedures, provides us with

a plethora of information as well as the advantage of having data from multiple sources. Hybrid

approaches, on the other hand, have a disadvantage. When dealing with mixed approaches,

one of the most crucial things to consider is how to bring that information into meaningful

contact and interpret the results effectively.

Ethical Consideration

Assistive technologies can be extremely beneficial to people with disabilities when performing

daily duties. Three moral principles govern the delivery and use of assistive technologies:

beneficence, nonmaleficence, and autonomy. The term "benevolence" is commonly used to

describe acts of mercy, thoughtfulness, and philanthropy. In morals, the notion is successfully

expanded to embrace all types of behaviour intended to profit or promote the benefit of others,

aiding them in following their major and true interests. Nonmaleficence and beneficence are

not synonymous; they are two separate commitments. Beneficence principles are more

demanding than nonmaleficence principles because they establish precise conditions for

purposeful activity. Unwillingness to conform to beneficent principles, in contrast to

nonmaleficence, rarely results in lawful discipline. Nonmaleficence criteria are negative action

prohibitions that must be pursued fairly. Failure to follow these regulations may result in legal

ramifications.
DESIGN A COMPACT WHEELCHAIR FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 14

References

Worldwide Need. (n.d.). Wheelchair Foundation.

https://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/fth/analysis-of-wheelchair-need/

Cook, A. (2009). Ethical Issues Related to the Use/Non-Use of Assistive Technologies.

Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 37, 127 - 152

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ920692

US EPA. (2018, October 26). National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Wastes

and Recycling | US EPA

https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-

overview-facts-and-figures-materials

Mazahery, A., Habibnejad-korayem, M., & Takrouri, K. (2019). Performance of europium in

microstructural modification of high strength lightweight aluminum components.

International Journal of Lightweight Materials and Manufacture, 2(3), 250-254.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlmm.2019.01.003

Chow, J. W., & Levy, C. E. (2010, October). Wheelchair propulsion biomechanics and wheelers’

quality of life: An exploratory review. ResearchGate; Informa Healthcare.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47381456_Wheelchair_propulsion_biomech

anics_and_wheelers