Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
tried a mouth switch and a head switch on a power wheelchair, as well as
a standard joystick. However, therapists are reluctant to give him a power
chair because he lives in a busy area of the city. Their fear is that he will
either drive into a building or a person, or drive off the sidewalk and hurt
himself. Currently, when he leaves the group home where he lives, he must
be accompanied by an assistant who pushes him in a manual wheelchair.
Peter has just been informed that a wheelchair manufacturing company is
developing a prototype of a new power wheelchair that is maneuverable,
accessible to a variety of user inputs (e.g., sip and puff, joystick), and has
some safety features built in (e.g., bumpers to protect walls, furniture, etc.
in soft collisions). Due to damage and liability concerns, the manufacturer
is also planning to add a speed control function (accessible by a key code
only) that determines the maximum possible speed.
4A.
Peter's occupational therapist has recommended he try the new pro-
totype wheelchair that includes safety features. The chair is outfitted
with a “black-box” that continuously records maximum speed, average
speed, and number of collisions. After a 30-day probationary period,
the therapist evaluates Peter's driving record. Based on the black-box
data, the therapist decides that Peter can continue to use the powered
wheelchair, but that the wheelchair's maximum allowable speed will be
set to half its previous value. Is this fair?
4B.
Should Peter be given the key code to his own wheelchair?
4C.
Assume that Peter will not have access to codes on his wheelchair.
Does his group home have the right to dictate that only wheelchairs
with speed control functionality can be used in the facility?
Enhancement Scenario:
“Despite having both lower legs amputated as
a child, South African runner Oscar Pistorius dreamed of one day com-
peting in the Olympic Games. That dream was dashed in early 2008 when
the International Association of Athletics Federations ruled him ineligible,
claiming his carbon-fibre prosthetics gave him an unfair advantage over
able-bodied competitors. Pistorius appealed to the Court of Arbitration
for Sport, which overturned the decision just in time for the Beijing Games.
Unfortunately, the athlete known as Blade Runner fell seven-tenths of a
second short of the Olympic qualifying time in the 400 m.” [
10
]
5.
Should Oscar Pistorius be allowed to compete with able-bodied
athletes?
Appendix 2: Results of Question 1A and Question 5
Question 1A:
The university has purchased voice recognition software for
students who have disabilities that make it dicult or painful to type. Jane is
