Designing a VR Application for Motorised Wheelchair Selection: A User-Centred Approach
What is the aim of the study?
Wheelchair user John Hitchens came up with the idea of a virtual reality wheelchair to solve problems he experienced in rehab. He couldn’t test-drive all the different wheelchair models or train in the same type of wheelchair as the one he had ordered. This project aims to develop a prototype virtual reality wheelchair application that can:1) help users select the most appropriate motorised wheelchair for their needs, and 2) provide a safe environment for training with wheelchair controls.
About the study
Motorised wheelchair users and their support networks will work with researchers and programmers to co-design a prototype virtual reality application. In phase 1, you will take part in an online interview for up to 1-hour. We will discuss:- your experiences of wheelchair selection and training- your thoughts and opinions about a virtual reality application for wheelchair selection. There may be an opportunity to be involved in the design and testing phases.
Who can participate?
- Motorised wheelchair users with an acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury.
- Caregivers who were involved in the motorised wheelchair selection and training process.
- Health professionals with experience in the motorised wheelchair selection and training process.
You must be over 18 to participate.
What will happen to your information?
All information collected about you will remain confidential. However, given the small number of participants/rare identifying factors of your data, it might not be possible to guarantee complete anonymity. All personal and health information collected about you will remain confidential. None of your information will be provided to anyone in a manner that could be identifiable as yours. This includes any research publications that are developed as part of this project. Once the investigators receive the data from you it is de-identified and stored in The University of Queensland’s Research Data Management Database. Only investigators on this project will have access to your data.
The National health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines require us to keep the data at the university for a minimum of 15 years. After this time, data will be destroyed.
We anticipate that the results of this research project will be published and/or presented in a variety of forms. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a way that you cannot be identified, except with your express permission.
When will the study conclude?
The study will conclude on 28 February 2025.
Who do I contact for more information?
Robert Cuthbert
robert.cuthbert@uq.edu.au
More information on the project
Visit the Website here