Development and evaluation of a facile mesh-to-surface tool for customised wheelchair cushions.

Background: Custom orthoses are becoming more commonly prescribed for upper and lower limbs. They require some form of shape-capture of the body parts they will be in contact with, which generates an STL file that designers prepare for manufacturing. For larger devices such as custom-contoured wheelchair cushions, the STL created during shape-capture can contain hundreds of thousands of tessellations, making them difficult to alter and prepare for manufacturing using mesh-editing software.

Manufacturing custom-contoured wheelchair seating: A state-of-the-art review.

Background: Custom-contoured wheelchair seating lowers risk of pressure injury and postural deterioration while custom-contoured wheelchair seating lowers risk of pressure injury and postural deterioration while increasing the stability and functional activity of the wheelchair occupant. Producing custom-contoured seating systems has historically been a labour-intensive process custom-contoured seating systems is historically labour-intensive.

Objectives: Evaluate the strengths and limitations of current manufacturing processes for custom-contoured wheelchair seating to suggest potential future manufacturing processes.

The use of pressure mapping for seating posture characterisation in children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using pressure mapping for the characterisation of the seated posture of children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Analysis of pressure mapping readings and video of children seated in a seating system during two assessments: The first assessment involved the pressure mapping of non-disabled children during a standardised protocol, and the second one involved the pressure mapping of children with CP performing daily life activities.

Results: It was possible to detect periods of activity of the children from pressure readings using the mean variation of pressure.

Rear-impact neck protection devices for adult wheelchair users.

Many wheelchair users remain in their wheelchairs during transit. Safety research for wheelchair users has focused mainly on frontal impact. However, although they are generally less severe, rear-impact injuries are expensive and difficult to treat and whiplash injury protection for adult wheelchair users remains poorly understood.