The Segway Personal Transporter as an Alternative Mobility Device for People With Disabilities: A Pilot Study
Presented in part to the International Seating Symposium, March 11−14, 2007, Orlando/Lake Buena Vista, FL.
Abstract
Sawatzky B, Denison I, Langrish S, Richardson S, Hiller K, Slobogean B. The Segway Personal Transporter as an alternative mobility device for people with disabilities: a pilot study.
Objectives
To determine the functional measures that best correlate with the skill levels of people with disabilities who operate a Segway Personal Transporter, and—using a qualitative analysis—to explore subjects’ experience with the Segway.
Design
A prospective study encompassing 3 training sessions with the Segway to correlate subjects’ functional ability (eg, cognition, balance, mobility, muscle strength) with their skill level on the device.
Setting
A provincial adult rehabilitation center.
Participants
Twenty-three subjects (age range, 19−65y) with a wide range of disabilities (eg, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, amputation) who could walk at least 6m with or without assistance.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Segway Task Assessment, Berg Balance Scale, and Timed Up & Go test.
Results
No correlation was found because all participants successfully completed the final Segway Task Assessment, regardless of scores on functional assessments.
Conclusions
The Segway is a useful device for a broad range of populations with functional disabilities. Subjects found the Segway easy to use and were excited about its potential as an assistive device for use in their communities.
aDepartment of Orthopaedics, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
bG.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
cSchool of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Reprint requests to Bonita Sawatzky, PhD, Dept of Orthopaedics, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada
Supported by In it for Life (Vancouver Coastal Health).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.
ABSTRACT