Editing Wheelchairs

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== Whirlwind Wheelchair ==

[http://www.whirlwindwheelchair.org/ Whirlwind Wheelchairs International] works to make it possible for every person in the developing world who needs a wheelchair to obtain one that will lead to maximum personal independence and integration into society. In order to fulfill this mission, WWI seeks to give wheelchair riders a central role in all of its projects and activities. Founded in 1989, Whirlwind Wheelchairs International is now located in 45 countries, designing wheelchairs that can be built in developing countries from locally available materials.

The [[Whirlwind wheelchair]]{{W|Whirlwind wheelchair}} is designed for production and use in developing countries to empower people with disabilities through independent mobility and sustainable [[economic development]]. This is done by using [[open source]]{{W|open source}} design to promote wheelchair production through the development of small shops which are managed by wheelchair riders.

WWI has recently changed it's distribution system to include the manufacture of pre-assembled parts in a European bike factory. This is meant to allow the shops to create a new inventory more quickly.

[[Ralf Hotchkiss]]{{W|Ralf Hotchkiss}}, the designer of the Whirlwind, teaches an excellent class at [http://sfsu.edu San Francisco State University] that involves students in the design process and teaches the use of basic metal shop equipment. He is also a partner of Demotech's [http://web.archive.org/web/20101208090314/http://www.demotech.org:80/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Design.MobilitySupportUnits MobilitySupportUnits] design project.

[[Sig17]] has held wheelchair cushion design contests in the past.

== Leveraged Freedom Chair ==

The [[Leveraged Freedom Chair]] is a low-cost wheelchair designed specifically for rough terrain<ref>[http://gogrit.org/lfc/ Leveraged Freedom Chair]</ref>

== Related projects ==

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== References and Articles ==

[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9021626 Wheelchair rider injuries: causes and consequences for wheelchair design and selection.]AGaal RP, Rebholtz N, Hotchkiss RD, Pfaelzer PF. J Rehabil Res Dev. 1997 Jan;34(1):58-71.



 
[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
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== Other resources ==

The [[iBot]]{{W|iBot}} is a revolutionary wheelchair design, but very expensive (around US$26,000).

== See also ==

* [[User:KVDP/AT prosthetics|Article with some useful ideas, ie brain-computer interface, ...]]

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[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:Mobility and rehabilitation]]