Research on comfort of cushion material and operability of wheelchairs

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Sugiyama Jogakuen University
• Principal Investigator: takimoto narihito 椙山女学園大学, 生活科学部, 教授 (10350969)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 車椅子クッション / 心理評価 / 体圧分布 / 指標

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This fundamental research investigated use of a novel method of indexing cushion material seating comfort in the development of new wheelchair cushion materials. Subjective experiments and body pressure distribution measurements were conducted using 14 specimens of differing materials and specifications. Added in the specimens were newly developed cushions consisting of a multi-layered composite material and a cushion with a bottom plate attached. Subjective experiments employed the SD method, with 20 healthy male and female subjects evaluating 12 material criteria. From the results of the subjective experiments and body pressure distribution measurements, multiple regression analysis yielded a multiple regression formula to estimate seating comfort evaluation, with total area, maximum pressure, average pressure, and the area of each zone as explanatory variables.

Free Research Field

家政学および生活科学関連、プロダクトデザイン　福祉デザイン

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的意義として、近年ニーズの高い「車椅子クッション」の、材料の特性と厚みの違いと、心理的反応との関係を、体圧分布の分析から明らかにし、「座り心地」といった、人の感覚を定量的に示し、指標化したところを学術的意義とした。
次に社会的意義として、クッション材の設計及び材料選定は、従来は製作者の経験や勘によって行われてきが、この「指標」を使うことにより、より効率的にクッション材の選択および仕様の調整が可能になったところを、社会的意義とした。