P'I
The Functional Evaluation of Future Wheelchairs
Contributing to Ecological Aid in Traveling
Tohi Nha"1 2 Fuyuo Tichi2 Kaoruko Ando 2 Makoto Arisawa
Graduate School ofMedia and Governance, Keio University
2 The Institute for Areal Studies, Foundation
E-mail bus@sfc.keio.ac.jp
Abstract
In Japan, it has been becoming necessary to improve
transportation environments suitable for elderly people and
physically challenged people. But basic solutions based on an
irprovement in many infrastructures have political, economical
and ecological limitations. So, we have to make other social
strategies for cating unwiisal transportion emvironmen for
thefire. In this research, we hadthree persons disabled in their
legs use "iBOTW", a transporter which empowers you to climb
curbs and easily traverse grass gravel, sand mud, puddes ad
other forms of wxeven terrain and enables you to climb up and
downstairs. Asaresult, it has been clarifiedthat "i;BO7"gives
them thefollowng ideas: (A) lengthening average time needed in
travling (B) dversning their pwposes of travelig (C) givng
then more chaces to travel withut using buses and their own
cars. Moreover this stdy has claified the social interface of
`iBOl77" and some technical pointsfor improvement in Jqpan.
We suggest a new solution for creating efficient and ecological
universal transport vironmets by using thefuture wheelchairs.
Keyword: iBO7&M, Physically Challenged Person, Q.O.L.
(Quality of Life), Barner-free and Universal Society
1. Foreword
It has been becoming necessary to improve tansportation
environments suitable for elderly people and physically
challenged people in Japan. But basic solutions based on
imoving many nfascts, such as elevators and escalators,
non-step buses, have political, economical and ecological
limitations. So, we have to make other social strategies for
creating miversal transportation environments fr the future. We
suggest a new solutionl for craing efficient and ecological
universal transport enviKronments by using the fitue wheelchairs.
1-4244-0081-3/05/$20.00 52005 IEEE. 844
2. Social Backgrounds
2.1 Increase in the Number of Elderly People and
Physically Challenged People
The number of elderly people is icrreasing raidly all over the
world. In 1990, the numberof elderly people was 0.5 billion in the
world. But the researchers of population problems forcast that it
will be 1.5 billion in 2050. This tendency is going to continue
from now on. And at the same time the number of physically
chalenged people will increase all over the world rapidly. We
have to considertheuniversal trasportaion environments rapidly.
22 Eflient, Effectve and Ecolgical Solutions for
Universal Transportation
The number of car is increasing rapidly all over the world. In
2002, it was 0.7 billion in the world. But the United Nation
forecasts that it willbe 0.8 billion in 2015. That is to say,there is a
growing tendency to motorize all over the world. So, the financial
conditions of public trnsportation comnpanies and central or local
governments concerned with creating univeal trsportation
environments have been getting worse and worse. They can not
invest much money on universal tansportafionenvironments. We
have to consider the good straegies for the efficient and effective
creation of them. In addition to i, ve have to create them
ecologically, paying attention to the natural environment.
23 Limations of Previous Monomhodoosm for
Universal Transportation
Proper measures for creating univeral tansportation are being
taken in various academic areas all over the world. But previous
approaches by mono-methodologism have political limitations.
Esecially, the researchers of transport engineering and welfare
policy hesitate to allow for he companies' and govenments'
financial limitations. The useful and realistic policies
for universal transportation have not yet been created.
 Mode A Mode B Mode C Mode D let them answer the questions about purposes, trail, time on each
travel and vanous problems of iBOT . In addition to it vw had
an interview with each of them concretely about the
above-mentioned questions for ninety minutes. Answerer A is 22
years old, rale, and a university student Answerer B is 42 years
old, mnale, anda public servant. Answer C is 40 years old, male,
and a manager of resurant (he answerer (Answerer D) felt sick
dming the trial use. So, he couldn't continue to use MBOTImfor
Fig.1 Four Transportation Modes of iBOTlM one day. As a result we allowed for only the interview survey.

3.UIjJUpOSeS
3 . PurposesOn the other hand, in orderto form a barrie-free policy in the near
future, we asked 1000 people aged from their twenties to their
Considering the above-mentioned social backgounds, we aim at fiRies (regardless ofsex) which to choose between a policy based
the solution in the reverse way of thinking, using the on the maintenance of infrastnactures and a polcy based on the
highperformance wheelchair. In this research, we deal with use ofmore functional transporting aids according to their typical
iBOT' developed by Idependence Technology Co.Ltd in social surroundigs. This research was caried out inFukuoka city,
U.SA We could get the right to experiment with iBOTm in Fukuoka prefecture becauseof the variety of social survundings,
Japan lBOTN has four kinds of fimctior. First, standard function different spread of barrier removal in facilities and buildings, and
(Mode A) enables you to move around as you would in a the facility of maldng generalization. In November, 2004, we
traditional power chair. Second, balance function (Mode B) distributed questiomnaires to the 1000 people divided into eight
allows you to move at eye-level and expenence the world from a groups according to sex and generation and got 306 answers firom
new perspectve. Third, four wheel function (Mode C) empowers therm According to abreakdown of306 answeres it is as follows;
you to climb curbs and easily traverse grass gravel sand, mud, (A) The nwnber ofmen in their tw iess 55 answews, (B)
puddles and other fonns ofuneven tenain. Fourth, stair function The number ofwomen in ttw eSntes =45asweres, (C) The
(Mode D) enables you to chmb up and down stairs, with or numberofmen in their thirties =38amweis, (D) The number
without other assistance. The iBOTam was developed in U.SA of women in their twenties = 38 answeers, (E) The number of
So we enumerate the following four points in this research, men in heirfories = 34 wzsners, (F9 The nwmber of women
(A) We clear sip the effects of iBO2fon physicy chalenged in theirfortdes =46 answerers, (G) The nwnber of men in their
people's daiy fife in Japan (B) We dear up the sockdhteface fpifes = 31 wzsweress, (N) The number ofmen in theirfifties =
between various envronments and iBOf"'in JapwL (C) We 19 answerers We are going to look into what a barri-free
clear up the technologicltermsofiBO7lfor troducing *in polcy ought to be in various surrom dngs in the future in Japan.
Japan (D) We clear up what ciizens thnk ofmorefunctonal
transporiing aids like next generadons whedchairs iBOTl 5. The Result ofFunonalEvaluationofiBOTr
In this study, we are going to clarify the following points through
each of the above-mentioned itns from the point (A) to (D). 5.1 Effects of iBOTT. on Daily Life
(a) Japans interface ofiBO'IJleading to the reducon ofthe iBOTrm lengthens average time needed in traveling.
First,
maintenane ofrastructures (b) Sometechnicandstregic Compared with average time needed in traveling before trial use,
probles which may arise in developing and populawizing
Japanese venon of iBOl7 (c) The space which is goodfor Tabb. 1 The Relation between
removing bamiers by the posiive use ofhightech torlh Trip's Time and Frequency _
aidslikeiBGOT7 Tbroughtheclarificationofthesepoints,weare Trip ime t ri__
going to consider a possibility ofbnngi BOTMa intowideuse t0-1 utes ri54triPs 23tri 0 trip
mnJapEanwhich leads to creating an ecologically unversal society. 2 1-30m !nutses litr i Ps 4fr.ipes 8t r IPs
31 - 4lm inutes %3tri:ps 1 trip, 5tri~ps
41 -50minutes 1 triP. 0 trip ttriP
451 -61m inut,es 2trips 1 trip O. trip
4. Methods 61mtninutes- Itrip 0 trip 4 trips
We let fourphysically challenged people use iBOT for aboA verage Tripme i1.t7r3ps 6 r 7i3p 82
mi nu tes
two weeks from 2004 April to 2004 June.In the questionnaire, he of One Trip mIuts minutes

845
 Table 2 The Daily Change of Trip's Frequency about 10 percent extension of time is recognized. And it is mor
Da A a4-:-g C possible for physically cbalengedpeople to make a free excursion.
1 st tt rips O r i Ps iP Second, iBOl7m diversifiesthepurposesofphysicallychallenged
2nd 0 trip -8t r 1V-S. t: rJO
3rd ps
2t r I't r I PS 1 tri people'straveling.Ithasgenerallybecomepossibletogotocoffee
4t h T-8t riPs 9t rips t rps shops, rmy sightseeingspots (temples, shrines,castles, mseums,
5th ltr ip 5t r:i s 1 trI p and so on) volume selles and downtowns where they had not
6t:h 4t ri p-s 5t-trI s 2t riP s
7h17t rVPJs rO trp trip been to, by using iBOT . Third, iBOTT gives physically
8-t h 0 .t r it 9.t r p sA 1 .t r i P challengedpeople more chmces to tavel withoutusingtheirown
9 t-h St ri -ps 4t-ri p s 4-t ri-PS
10th1-4 t r i:ps 7 t-ir i ps 3Stri i: p s cars and buses. Comared withfequmcy of travelng before tial
I 1 st4t4 t:rps oQtr-lP 1 t rip use, about 10 percent increase in fiequency was recognized.
-lt 52nu-d l rl Ps
11t 0 tiP 1 tr i P
1.Srd17tr P s (n-d) 1 ri P
4th ( E 1 t 5.2 Social Interface of iBOTT in Japan
Tot a 1 S t rips 22t rips
61 tr ips In sightseeing spots, supemnarkets, volume sellers, department
A e r age 9- .0 8 .^ 08 i . 57 stores and downtowns, the social interface between them and
|Numb-e:r Ins| tr ieps| | 'lBT wasgood s eing spots,they couldtravel easily
by using the four wheel finction (Mode C) when they clinbed
Table. 3 The Relation between curbs and traversed grass gravel, sand, mud, puddles and other
Trip's Tool and Frequency fonns of uneven terrain In suermarkets, volume sellers, and
Too l A B T Cdepartment stores, they could shop or travel easily by using
o nl > i 801
B :70 t r ipRs
sQt r i psj l 8t r i Ps balance fimctin (Mode B). But, in their homes, peonal shops
i:BOT+Bus 24tri 0 tr4ip 0 trn tp adioffices,itwasn'tverygood.InJapanesestandardhomes,
:2 4t r ipss : 1 ::-t r i p 0O t.r i p
i B OT + T:r a i n personal shops and offices, the big body of iBOT prevented
-BOT+Car. 0 tr-p
,Tosta.8krl s Pl8 r':rp-
0 rr-t pj 41 r i $P
ts'tr`sj 22t r- ipps
physically challenged people from taveling comfortably.

Tabi 4 The Relation between

5.3 Technlgil
inJaa
Tenrs of iMOTThmforDissemimting
Trip's Purpose and Frequency
ITheremareJapan
a lot of stairs, uneven tedais and slopes m Japan
aest ina:t ion A B c Therefore a lot of baniers which physically challe d people
University l8trips have to cope with are foundhere andthere, too.Inthisresearch,
Off ice 6trips 26trips 3tr ips we recognize t we have to enlarge a charging capacity of a
Li-brary 1 4t r I'PS battery of iBOTm. These days, the number of physically
Ci tY Ha:il 6_ t r _P_ challenged people which drive cars for private use is larger and
Poast Of:f ice or Rlank -_ 4t rips _larger all over the world. So, we have to downsize MOT and
|leetil;ng -Room: in the Of fice -2|St rips :| | reduce its weightfor frequtly using their cars. All the answers
Free- Excurs ion :S3t r ips 1-4itr i:pVs pointed out the same tig. And we have to low the volume of
ee-ting-rooiEoutsiCde::the fofficel
Around:'
;| I tripl movingsoundofiBOfMforfiequetlyusingofficesandli braies
the -S:t--at
HAroundthe tation
--o-n.. 52t r-IP's
52t:rips 2trips
1t- ri S
and so on.Atthe sametimetheypointedoutthe samething, to.
Some Nta t1: r ips : 3t_i
P,
~Hbbbuy Room
Roo Snoppi- rFacile
.p.i
ls 6. The Result of the Research on the Extent
Hlobbunte:ey Centere:r: -t rips of Citizens' Desire for More Functional
VolunteerS-hop-
Barber- Itrips|
Atri ________ j Transporting Aids for Physically-challenged
Ho-spit-al :1 :t;ri-p I trip People
:ightseIing Spo:t2r ips Inthis chapter, conceming the maintenance of 21ldnds oftypical
R s t au ant -4trips 1 trp public space, we clariy what a barrier-fee policy should be by
Others B8trips I trip malkng a careful analysis of the answers to the questions about
ot-al trips ill8tripsI Sitripsi I2trips the choice of the above-mentioned two kinds of polcies.

846
 Table. 5 The Choice of the Two Kinds of Table. 6 The Choice of the Two Kinds of
Barrier-free Policies (All Answerers) Barrier-free Policies (Dividedhy Generation)
InfrastructuresAids ~~~~~~20s 30s I 40s I 50s

Junior Hi h School
o:rry'4856 529
5256
I~~~~~~~~~~nfrastructures
Kirdrgarten rnpria
__3 -3__
49

Senior Hiah S-hoo-I-----4-7'9 53% NoAnsvwer 1__ 2_ __1 _ 14

~ Stop
Bus ~ ~ ~ ~ 556 4456 Jj,ior High rrue
3,4 3 4
Supermarket 69 1 319
97k
sdmol ~~~TrarsoortinmAi
~IAnswer
No
__42__
___ 1 _ 1
4 _ 4
_ 1 ___
44
1

Lonven i ence Store 59% ~~~~~Inf rastrLctures 340 __ 31 34 24

Steet_____0
Shoppna No_
8Ansmer 1- 12 1 1
Downtown 5* Noanwe" asreovd Tri nfrastrurtures 814 3__ __ 7 2__

Pbarier-free Policiesrurtures_4_
bWIarrier clepoice
ast smetoe i n Ta9e.1 Fu2hrreeac No__t Answer EN 1 14-
has showed that there are maNy answerrs who prefrmoved Tri Infrastruztures ___ 61 67
functional transporting aids about a barrier-freetationTranpolicy Ains 4__I___

6gh scoos Fturthermore, in th weirasers tobour q~etof they Store rsrutue - 3

saythattheydonotcareevenifinfinstructuresarereducedfroms Trarawt-m Ai-s-
thBeuatrionalfpoin Pofview NDuisadsuetreeuae oSoe AnswerI 9
hel aeacgother.. Thkeyasdd tfhat they prefe mowrerfntofa k thegcn nfrastrurtures
braniportfrg aoidslsike isniboedmT l.5 Ir rsarhN
lBCJI<~' which can be operated easily evenStopIr
Answer Transoortirm Aid 2142 34 3
onsunoeve plactes,roug areadnianyparks,wonenience stres,r andorer Infrastructures 44 7_1 4
restaurats in ciies. Accrding t the addtional iterview esearh Suprmrkest Trn-t mAd- 2
functional transporting aidslieabout Ma beroperated easily on NoAn-
unfxevegmnplcs ilmnthey spc heres vemrthcahsrahoorlsatnd (like DeCrmit nrstutrssi6Aids 219
elevtohanschls latdeo)fromtei pacser
on a
to othr qusisono,thneede Thet'e Transwrti 2 2
sayiahey o it hase beven caif miedthaft many ctznpred dfero CIwnfrastrintures 40_5 4 3_
the mduatintnanc pofintfviewsifpcurelsind
aesuwheresthreeduc atedstorS11e No_k1s r_E
oepporaunitiesrfo vhertiald traspratinOnythef oter mciona hand, _rrOrl infrastruztures MM_4 _
educationl instituions whic play an mportant ole in cutivatinghostr Trfnportnc A 2- -
meMT
teeslitenefovetcltransportation, bih anyb ietizensil pefer Omfice No Answer 129 21 3_
o morefnctioal trasortighrads. In thiswa,itohasnbencoe moresan Infrastructures 81M74"A
importantwhichagingcitizensshuldchoosebetweenauniversal
resaurxit mcites.Accrdg t th achtorWmteew esarc
Ibpitag
_Stee Tram rt im Aid 419 21 4 41
No Answer 1 11 19
socety base
notnee the maintenanceand ahunfivralsrciuety beausedn 5ae Infrastrurtures 73 6 37 74
shiftefmi
theve theastpacues tohmre vefnctoal transportaiong ads acility 1nrsrrue
0

Ithe ncuseriaincesofsnryatorufctthmireswhocimatherearelncy N Answerer 1 11 __w

opoMniie orveucl wsprttin.O te thr ad,in Bak n IfrstLitr847M 3

 Table. 7 The Choice of the Two Kinds of in Table.6. Concerning small parks and convenience stores,
Brrier-free Policies (Dividedby Sex) people fron their twenties to fifies in age agree to the idea that
lMale Fema e bamers should be rernoved by making transporting aids more
Infrastructures 43X 30X1
Kindergarten Transportina Aids functional. The same tendency is showed m kindergartens,
Nio Answer - 9X 21 X elementary schools, junior high schools, sniior high schools, too.
Schoom TransportOno Aids
No Answer
4
14 14
In railway cars and railway stations, all the generatons agree to
the idea hat baiers should be removed by contiuig the
Jun ijar H
School
ighInrsuc re39
Transportina Aids
4
maintenance of infiatucrs. The same tendency is showed in
No Answer 1 5X 1S
Senior High Infrastructures 39 3 supemiakets,dpanent stores, shoppingCetrs inurundmgm
School inn Aidg 41 passages, movie theaters, finaial institutions, hospitals, welfare
Park
Infrastructures
Transnortinn Aids
31 X 2sX
57
minstitutions, and pubhc office buildings, too. In the additional
No Answer 9X 15 questions to some of the answerers about this tendency, they
T r ain
Infrastructures
2rnsot n Ad 62X 47 agree to the maintenance ofifiasructures because they need
Tran Aswer_ na_ Ids_2svertical transportation like elevators and escalatos more often.
Train tructures 74 76
Stationn Transportina Aids 18 16
No Answer 8 8 6.3 A Study ofWhat Answerers Divided Ac cding to
Bus TransDortinr Aids 37 Sex Think of the Two Barrier-free Policies
-No Answer
Infrastructures 51
8X J7
51 We are going to make a study of what males and females
Bus Stop Transortinn AidsX (including all generations) think of barrier-fiee policies as it is
o AnswerRX X
Infrastructures 6 7X 65X mentioned in Table.7. In nine items (there are four more
Supermarket Transportinr Aids
No Answer
29s 3
4
items t males), females agree to a barier-free polcy
Department Infrastructures 65 68 based on more functional transporting aids. Particularly
Store No Answer 15 14 housewives have a stronger tendincy to agree to it because
Convenience Infrastructures 40 32 they put a high value on efficiency. In kindergartens, buses,
Sot
0 re
Underground
- A....s
. 6X shopping malls, and restaurants, females agree to a shift to
Irtructures 4 1X
Shopping cransDOrtina Aids 19% i4
35 X finctonal transporting aids. But males do not In the additional
Ma I I No Ansawer 28 interview survey, female answerers say that more functional
Street DOriaAids X 44X transportingaids enable them to overcome barriers in fcilities and
Downtown
Infrastructures 41 39 buildings where houseives fiuently go during thedayitme
sportina Aid 37

Cinema I nrst ru es 6 51X2 6.4 A Study of What Answerers Dided Acording to

Theater N r 128x Sex and Generadion Think of die Two BarnieFfre
Infrastructures 48 43 Policies
Restaurant Aids 45X
No Answer 7 8 We are going to make a study of what answerers divided
Post Office No franst
Answerrtui Airs 61
6 338 according tosex
is mentioned and generation
in Table.8. think
According of barrier-free
to the policies
research, people as it
in their
Public Ifatutrs 7 7
Office Transnortinn
No Answer Aids 6X 78X fories agreetoa shiftto more functionalransporting ads inten
iterns and more males agree to it than females because they make
Hospital nrtinn Aids 2 15% muchofefficiency. Itisprobably duetoa long-termrecession and
W elI f a r e
frastructures restructuring. In their twenties, thidies, and fillies, more females
Facility
Facilty Transortin
NoAnswer10 Aids 1 129 agree to a shift to functional tansporting aids than males.
Answerers 158 148 Housewiveshaveastrongertendencytowarditbecausetheyputa
high value on efficiency. Males in their twenties and thirties agree
6.2 A Study of What Answerers Divided According to to the maintenance of infatucres n almost all the items.
Generation Think of tie Two Banier-free Policies Females in their forties and fifaes agree to a shift to more
Wearegoingtomakeastudyofwhateachgeneration(including functional transporting aids in buses and bus stops.
males and females) think ofbarrier-free policies as it is mentioned This tendency shows that they appreciate bus service.

848
 Table. 8 The Choice ofthe Two Kinds of Eirr-fe 7. Conclusion
Policies (Divid&d by Sex and Generation)
_0s 2_s 30s 30s _ M_s_ s
In this research, it has been clarified that iBOT' gives physically
______ 1 .bw IBBk IE liS ie f challenged people the following ideas: (A) hngtiening average
Kir~t, Tk-s -_ - - - _j tune needed in traveling, (B) diversifying their purposes of
I kA9e - _ _ - - _ travelng, (C) giving them more chances to travel without using
Bleeay f - 3t - - 4 - buses and their own cars. Moreover this study has clarifed the
__w Pbbk1 -1 1. 1 J 1 social interface of iBO21m and some technical inprovements in
anior Hoi lfr 0tl1.cI - 4 - - -m Japan. It has been found out that it is necessary to solve
thkbb I I *,1 9 1 * *1 technological problems about enlarging a charging capacity of a
a
Snio
a ___
HoS llnfrat;iti
o4 o rt i
2 3t33.. battery and downsizing iBO-1m according to the size of Japanese
____ _b aN
- 1 1 shops and offices in order to spread it in Japan. Thisnew approach
rk _rft - 3
_ -_ has three big advantages compared with previous approaches. We
h i 1 - 1 Q 1- - - can make social srategies for efficient and effective umiversal
Train lrifrastnrt-m
NAse
_ _ _ a _ _ _ _ transportation and can realize the universal transportation based on
- - I- 13 1 1 Ecological design. Moreover, we can enlarge the scope of
T.rain InfrirnAimcbe _ - a- traveling ofphysically challenged people. But the cost ofiBO'lm
_ Al-- _ 1
is very high. So, from now on, we have to consider the social
lrifr:nr; a
B sc Tra _.i4r.Ai k strategies for lowing the cost of iBOTl". Through such action, we
_hh r - - -- n plan to consider the social strategies fora paraddrn sift from an
ass1p zaa a inSpublic infrastrnctures to the use of iBOTTm.
improvement
ul7snriimAic

ZbAUh er 3 Acknowledgements
90#u_ -.e.t c
For making up this paper, many people and organizations have
_b_ I ..z I 1 a 1 1 looked after us. Wethank people and organizations as follows;
Aniem"nwet 3
w koff
3
-~~~~~~~ohsn&Jono a,YkhmaRhbliainFonain

UTb~rd fraICtI M timAc_cid_

-e 7 4 References
.WrVl Tra
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imxtm S
a --
A _ ofFirst World populations". Applied Ergonomics, 24 (1), pp.

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TrikxtimAid
-_S _ hiteraional Perspective". Assistive Technology, 10 (1), pp.
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Rbl ic

Off Domain in Product Design". The Design Journal, 3(1) pp.

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Fi Iity mA
A___rer_
1- I 3
m - m -
3 a
1 [07] Noran, A., D. (1988) The Psychology ofEveryday Things.
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849