The Bush Wheelchair: A Manual Transporter for Adults Living in Rural Communities

Abstract

A four year project to design and develop an appropriate mobility device for people with disabilities living in rural communities in the Northern Territory has resulted in the successful field testing of a manual transporter. This device, designed and developed by the Seating Equipment And Technical Service (SEAT) for the Northern Territory, is based on a rickshaw style configuration to enable an attendant to pull the occupant over rough terrain more easily than using a standard manual wheelchair. This Bush Wheelchair is more robust and has fewer moving parts. It therefore requires less maintenance and is a more appropriate form of transporting people with disabilities within their communities. The design is discussed.