The use and validation of a laser scanner for computer aided design and manufacturing of wheelchair seating

Abstract

Professionals in wheelchair seating services over several decades have captured many thousands of patient shapes in various forms to manufacture customized seating systems for people with complex disabilities. With the exception of a few commercial companies, the predominant methodology employs a plaster casting technique to record the required shape. This can be labour-intensive and shape information is often retained in the cast and may not be recoverable over time due to storage issues. This paper describes the development of processes utilizing a laser scanner to advance the fabrication of customized seating systems. The study employed two 3D laser scanners and hence validated the use of the lower cost scanner (accuracy ± 0.1 mm) for both research purposes and clinical work. The paper concludes that these technologies have the potential to develop the knowledge of individuals’ shapes with complex disabilities within specialist seating and other clinical fields.

Keywords::

• Wheelchair seating systems
• customized
• laser scanner
• 3D shape

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank:

• the Posture & Mobility Group (PMG)’s Small Research Funding Scheme for providing grant money to support this work;

• Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board;

• the Digital Seating Service (DSS) team and colleagues at Rehabilitation Engineering Unit;

• Paul Marl (North Wales Rehabilitation Engineering Unit) and Dr Donna Cowan (Chailey Clinical Services, East Sussex) for supplying plaster casts for the project;

• the National Leadership and Innovation Agency For Healthcare (NLIAH) and Welsh Assembly Government;

• ALAS (Artificial Limb & Appliance Service), Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff;

• Digital Design Partnership (DDP), Coleg Sir Gar, Engineering Faculty, Graig Campus, Sandy Road, Pwll, Llanelli for providing the FARO Scanner and services;

• Peter Watson, Belfast, Principal Clinical Scientist for continued support;

• Patrick Thorn & Co for software and hardware technical support; and

• the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)/American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) for travel bursary.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.