“I Don't Need Easy; I Just Need to Move”: Evaluating Wheelchair Technologies for a More Inclusive World

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The wheelchair is an extreme representation of mobility through walking activities. Functionally, a wheelchair is an assistive device for people who cannot walk. However, from a “persona” perspective, a wheelchair is a part of the body that works differently from the way walking on two feet does. Both perspectives are valid, and their trains of thought are inseparable from the existence of technology. People with disabilities who cannot walk use technology to get to know the world. Conversely, the world is shaped through the experience of technology used by people who cannot walk. Wheelchairs are one of the technologies that change the construction of the world. The physical and social environment changes according to the needs of wheelchair users and the development of wheelchair technology. For example, battery technology and brushless DC motors are part of technologies that can be used to expand the displacement of a wheelchair, so that wheelchair users can expand their social interactions. The question is, which design is appropriate for technology to be used properly by wheelchair users? To answer this question, this article invites discussion about scenarios and designs that are appropriate for wheelchair users to weave into their environment. The approach is phenomenological, looking especially at the experience of wheelchair users who get to know and shape the world through technology. Experience mining, adapted from experimental design, within depth interviews, talk-aloud protocols, observations, and confirmations produce comparisons of experiences using appropriate technologies. The result of this research is a prototype which can be developed to help wheelchair users expand their micromobility or urban mobility. Keywords: appropriateness, disability, experimental design, wheelchair