Developed in association with the University of Brighton, with help from a Health Technology Development Grant, the Neater Uni-Chair enables people with use of just one arm and one foot to operate a manual wheelchair efficiently. It is most commonly used by people with hemiplegia caused by a stroke.
The Neater Uni-Chair is steered through a cable linkage mechanism by the user turning their active foot. The user turns a single handrim to power both rear wheels through a unique differential mechanism; allowing the wheels to rotate at different speeds when cornering. Tight corners with one wheel stationary and three-point turns are easily achieved. The wheelchair has a novel quick-release mechanism for the wheels and drive shaft to make packing the chair down to stow in a car boot easy for carers. (More detailed information can be found in Jon Michaelis' essay: "The Neater Uni-Chair - an engineer's perspective" )
Trials* have shown the Neater Uni-Chair to be far more efficient than alternatives such as a dual-handrim chair – Typically, a user will complete a course in half the time with the same heart and breathing rates – and with less uneven pressures on the user’s body.
“The steering is very sensitive and responsive and the chair is very comfortable. This will be a great improvement to mobility over conventional chairs.”
“The single wheel is much less complicated than a dual handrim and the footplate mechanism moves easily. I can do three-point turns in confined spaces”
Now in full production. Devices are available for trial now in UK.
Please contact us for more details.
Neater Uni-Chair was launched at Naidex 2009. It is a manual
wheelchair developed for people with hemiplegia caused by a stroke. Research
and development work was carried out in conjunction with the Univeristy of
Brighton.
We received the following by email form Quotec who administer
the NHS grant that part funded the Uni-Chair's development:
"I am very
pleased to let you know that the Committee was very impressed with your project
and have agreed a score of 10. Specifically, they were very impressed with your
team's commitment to ensuring the optimum device was produced and how popular
it has become with users in care homes, and how you have continued to make
improvements based on their feedback. "
Video Clip - Neater Uni-Chair
"From prototype to manufacture" - by researcher Dr Anne
Mandy "The Neater Uni-Chair
- an engineer's perspective" - by Jon Michaelis Details of Papers, Awards &
Conferences back
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* Mandy A, Lesley S (2009) Measures of Energy Expenditure, and Comfort in an ESP wheelchair: A Controlled Trial using Hemiplegic Users'. Disability and Rehab Assistive Technology (accepted due to be published spring 2009)
* Mandy A, Lesley S (2007) Energy expenditure, and comfort in a modified wheelchair for people with Hemiplegia: A controlled trial. Disability and Rehab Assistive Technology September 2007 issue -- vol. 2, no. 5.)
Details of Papers, Awards & Conferences