Performance evaluation of competition wheelchairs made of different materials using inertial sensors

Abstract

While Para-badminton has become a new sport for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and attention to Para-badminton is increasing, there is still little research on the performance and materials of badminton wheelchairs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the driving performance of a conventional badminton wheelchair made of Mg alloy and a lighter weight badminton wheelchair made of Al alloy, and measurements were made using an inertial sensor for comparison. The inertial sensors can record data at 1 kHz. Inertial sensors were attached to the drive wheels of the two types of badminton wheelchairs to measure the forward and backward rowing motions, and the time and speed required for these motions were compared. The measurement site was a gymnasium, and the subjects were three able-bodied students. As a result, there was almost no difference in the maximum speed, and the time required for the forward rowing motion tended to be smaller on the Al wheel than on the Mg wheel.