Impact of an omni-directional accessible design on caregiver’s wheelchair operability

Purpose: In real-world care settings, wheelchair operation from multiple directions would be optimal. This study aimed to determine how caregivers operate the omni-directional accessible (OA) wheelchair, which features four swivel casters to achieve omni-directional movement and two vertical handles for caregivers located at the front of the armrest and its effectiveness for reducing time of wheelchair operations. Method: Twenty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to either the OA (n = 10) or conventional (n = 10) wheelchair group. Participants performed a wheelchair operation task in a simulated care setting. We measured the caregiver’s position during wheelchair operation and the task completion time required for the wheelchair operation task. Result: The results showed that all participants in OA group operated the wheelchair from positions other than the rear. This tendency became more pronounced as the trial number increased, contributing to shorter task completion time than conventional wheelchair. Conclusion: These findings suggest that OA wheelchairs are suitable and effective for use in real-world care settings.