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D1a. Dynamic Seating System for Users with High Extensor Tone

Project Director: Bill Singhose, PhD

Industry Design Partner: Motion Concepts, Concord, Ontario

Clinical Partner: Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Timeframe: Year 1 - mid Year 2 (18 months)

Specific Aims:

Adequate seating and positioning is a challenge for wheelchair users with strong pathological reflexes due to the strong, uncontrolled extension of the lower extremities and trunk that leads to forceful pushing against the backrest, seat and footrests. The current approach to this problem uses restraint so the body does not impact unpadded structures and the person remains in the seating system. Unfortunately, this results in a loss of mobility. This project seeks to develop and commercialize a dynamic seating system that helps dissipate the energy resulting from extensor thrusts in order to give the user a safer, more secure and more comfortable seating system. The specific aims of this project are: 1) to study the forces, motion and muscle activity associated with an extensor thrust, 2) to investigate passive and active systems to dissipate the energy of a thrust, 3) to incorporate design criteria based on user needs findings, known research, and results of force and motion studies to design and test a seating system in collaboration with Motion Concepts that offers a safe and effective means to accommodate thrust activity without compromising comfort and function.

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