Powered wheelchair bucking.
Using a dummy test driver with a simulated flaccid forearm capable of representing either a large or zero friction condition, six powered wheelchairs were examined for bucking tendencies. In the zero friction condition, bucking was easily induced in 5 of 6 tested wheelchairs. Adding friction to the simulated forearm prevented bucking in all tested wheelchairs but one. Bucking is not simply related to wheelchair performance measures such as speed or acceleration. Sustained bucking corresponds to neutral stability in a speed regulated machine. Changes in natural frequency and damping characteristics are predicted as useful in reducing powered wheelchair bucking.
D000054:Acceleration; D006801:Humans; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D008433:Mathematics; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014910:Wheelchairs / Q000592:standards*