Final year masters project.
Many wheelchair users wish to remain in their wheelchair during travel. A wheelchair restraint system is used to secure a wheelchair on a vehicle, allowing the user to travel comfortably and safely. However, current wheelchair restraint systems are slow to set-up, confusing to operate and easily misused.
My project explored how these systems could be redesigned, to improve the user’s travel experience whilst maintaining the safety of the system. My redesign, exprestraint, is an innovative alternative to the traditional wheelchair restraints. The whole system has been simplified, reducing the number of actions to set-up by half and greatly decreasing the time required. The bar design and coloured grips help indicate the correct operation, making it more intuitive and less confusing. The system now half as many parts, for easy set-up and compact storage.
