Anthropomorphic Loading Device for Seat Cushion Testing

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ability to evaluate the performance of seat cushions is critical to the development of wheelchair seating and standards, and to the selection of cushions by consumers and therapists. To assess the ability of a wheelchair cushion to distribute pressure, the Skeletal Embedded Loading Indentor (SKELI) was designed to simulate both the soft tissue and bony skeletal substructure of the human anatomy. However, the existing SKELI was molded from a single individual and does not allow the testing of cushions for nonstandard pelvis postures and sizes. This project will develop the Adjustable Skeletal Loading Indentor (ASLI), an innovative test fixture with adjustable pelvic and soft tissue components that can be configured to simulate differences in pelvic width, and pelvic tilt, rotation, and obliquity. The ability of the ASLI to mimic pelvic deformities will be verified by comparing pressure distribution patterns on four different types of commercially available cushions. Data will be analyzed in five key zones: the right and left ischial tuberosities, the right and left trochanters, and the sacrum/coccyx. The ASLI will benefit cushion users by providing needed information on cushion performance.