Design of Built Environments to Accommodate Mobility Scooter Users: Part I
By Dutta, Tilak; King, Emily C.; Holliday, Pamela J.; Gorski, Susan M.; Fernie, Geoff R.; Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 67-76Publication Date: January 2011
Study undertaken to determine the minimum dimensions needed to allow 5 models of powered mobility scooters to maneuver within 5 commonly encountered indoor spatial configurations. The following scooter models, judged by their manufacturers to have a good combination of indoor mobility and outdoor performance, were selected for the study: Victory Twin, Celebrity X, Fortress Winner, 3-wheeled Fortress 1700, and 4-wheeled Fortress 1700. An expert scooter user with 7 years of driving experience was used for the maneuverability testing. Minimum space needed to maneuver the scooters was determined in the following spatial configurations: turning 180 degrees in a corridor, performing U-turns around 2 inch and 4 foot obstacles, turning 90 degrees from a doorway, and approaching a counter or work surface from the side. Free-standing Styrofoam walls were used to define each configuration. The driver repeatedly maneuvered the scooters through each configuration while the dimension of interest was incrementally decreased until it was no longer possible to complete the maneuver. Each scooter’s turning diameter was also measured and compared to the manufacturer’s specification. None of the scooters tested were capable of completing all maneuvers within the space allowed by existing Canadian and U.S. standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities. The scooters were ranked, from most to least maneuverable, as follows: Victory Twin, 3-wheeled Fortress 1700, Celebrity X, 4-wheeled Fortress 1700, and Fortress Winner. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Assistive Products Discussed: FORTRESS 1700FS & FORTRESS 1704FS
VICTORY 3-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC1600)
VICTORY 4-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC1700)
CELEBRITY X 3 WHEEL
CELEBRITY X 4 WHEEL
VICTORY 9 3-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC609)
VICTORY 9 4-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC709)
VICTORY 9 PS 3-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC609PS)
VICTORY 10 3-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC610)
VICTORY 10 4-WHEEL SCOOTER (MODEL SC710)
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Limited (Website:http://taylorandfrancis.org)
International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (Web Site: http://www.isprm.org )
