Design and development of mobility equipment for persons with disabilities in low-resource and tropical settings: bamboo wheelchairs

Abstract

Purpose For persons with disabilities in low-resource and tropical settings, barriers to mobility and physical activity are steep. The aim of this study was to develop and test two low-cost, durable, sustainable, purpose-built wheelchair prototypes to support wheelchair users in low-resource and tropical settings. These bamboo wheelchairs, nicknamed African Chairs by Ghanaian daily manual wheelchair users who tested the devices, adopt two designs: an urban-targeted and a rural-targeted design. Materials and methods The rural-targeted design incorporated stability as its key design property for the purpose of navigating variable terrain. The urban-targeted design adopted a sleeker, more portable profile for environments that require wheelchair transport in vehicles and the navigation of elevators and ramps. Both designs integrated bamboo-rod skeletons, bonded by hot-glue gun, jointed and wrapped with epoxy-soaked fibers, then upholstered by a local tailor, with basic standard wheel components. An iterative design process incorporated expert consultation as well as user feedback. Results and conclusions The final prototypes received positive testing reviews from daily manual wheelchair users in Ghana. These locally-built, safe, economical bamboo wheelchairs have the potential to improve accessibility, provide more independence and reduce immobility-related health risks for many. Implications for rehabilitation Persons with disabilities have a right to mobility, maximum independence, and the psychological, emotional, and physical health benefits of physical activity those rights confer. For persons with disabilities in low-resource settings, barriers to mobility and physical activity are steep, due to social stigmatization and the cost and adaptability of equipment. Bamboo wheelchairs have the potential to increase access to mobility and physical activity by allowing wheelchairs to be efficiently produced at cost, according to the user's needs. The aesthetics of bamboo wheelchairs can help reduce social stigma by avoiding the “medicalization” of wheelchairs and other traditional mobility devices.