Development of reclining wheelchair with transfer assistance functions

The number of elderly people increases, the serious shortage of persons providing nursing care has become more pronounced in Japan. Therefore, the aim of this research is to develop equipment that will reduce the burden of helping patients transfer from a wheelchair to a bed or floor. More specifically, an existing wheelchair was modified by converting the seat surface into a sort of belt conveyor. So, the modified wheelchair reduces the burden of assisting the wheelchair-bound by enabling transfer without lifting.