Systems and engineering technology provider Frazer-Nash has been awarded a contract by the Centre for Defence Enterprise to develop an instrumented wheelchair wheel that will support the rehabilitation of injured service personnel at the Headley Court Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

The project will see the company working closely with Headley Court staff to determine the requirements of injured service personnel undergoing rehabilitation. The findings will then be used to develop an innovative wheelchair technology to aid the rehabilitation process.

The Headley Court rehabilitation centre supports casualties of war, many of whom are undergoing an intensive period of amputee and prosthetic therapy. The new wheelchair wheel will be designed to measure the loads that the patient is putting into the operation of the wheelchair and monitor the progress that is made over a rehabilitation period.  It is anticipated that the information generated by the wheel will inform new training regimes and techniques to minimise secondary injuries from wheelchair use.

Last year Frazer-Nash developed an instrumented wheel to help elite wheelchair athletes improve their performance. Named the Powerwheel, the instrument measures the driving force put into the push rim of the user. Frazer-Nash will be adapting the Powerwheel design principles and applying them to the wheelchair design for injured servicemen.

The wheelchair works by measuring data using a load sensing element, which is transmitted wirelessly to a mini-computer. The data is interpreted, displayed and stored on the computer, enabling the information to be analysed during the effort and post-event. The users will gain immediate feedback on the effort they are putting in.  The physiotherapists and clinicians will be able to use the more detailed information to build their knowledge base, which will help to inform on best practice for the users’ training regime.

Alex Knight, Frazer-Nash Engineering Consultant, commented:
“This is a very significant project for Frazer-Nash and one that we are very proud to be working on. The new wheelchair system will help physiotherapists and clinicians gain a greater understanding of patient progress. Crucially, the data also serves to give the patients a better understanding of their own improvement, which can provide great motivational benefits.

“We are delighted to be able to apply our engineering skills and experience to support the great work that is undertaken by staff at Headley Court.”