Artifacts

Artifact Summary Sheet #1

Source:

Scrubber: Electric wheelchair wheel cleaner. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://software.inn2care.com/?page_id=30

Artifact Summary:

A small piece of machinery that has two interchangeable brushes which are used for different tasks; the Red Brush is for normal mud, sand, ect, and the Green Brush is used for rougher material rocks, and gravel. It is weight based, so there is no electricity needed. Designed for outdoor use, this stainless steel product will last and is fully self supporting for people in wheelchairs. A mounted nozzle sprays water to wash the wheel.

Artifact Critique:

A way to improve the product is the fact that it gets water everywhere, and that it can only be used outside. Something that the artifact brings to the table, however, is the lack of electricity needed to power the device. This can be brought into the project by more research to determine how to include it.

Artifact Summary Sheet #2

Source:

RehaDesign Wheelchair Slippers - Wheelchair Tire Covers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/RehaDesign-Wheelchair-Slippers-Tire-Covers/dp/B00BG6EI78

Artifact Summary:

These wheelchair wheel covers protect against marks on floors, and tire marks on carpets. They provide protection inside, but the purpose is not to clean the tires. They prevent slipping and are machine washable. They are only meant for manual adult wheelchairs, not for use on electric wheelchairs.

Artifact Critique:

This conflicts because there are more downsides to the product then upsides. This product can incorporate different materials to create their covers so they can be used outdoors too, such as plastics or other waterproof materials. This gives the protection aspect for indoors, but not the cleaning.

Artifact Summary Sheet #3

Source:

Dirt Collecting Door Mats For Fork Truck Tyre and Pedestrian Footwear - ProfilGate®. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unisanuk.com/products/profilgate-entrance-mat/96

Artifact Summary:

This product is a grate system that has bristles sticking out to reach cracks in wheels and shoes. This is an immovable product, meaning it cannot be brought around with the wheelchair user, so it has to be installed permanently. It can also be outfitted with water to thoroughly clean the tires or someone's shoe.

Artifact Critique:

This artifact provides validity to the research because it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. These grates, while immovable, serve a variety of purposes that the project could expand on. The unique aspect that this product brings to the table is a grate like solution that could possibly be movable with a few enhancements.

Artifact Summary Sheet #4

Source:

How to Clean your Power Chair or Wheelchair. (2018, June 12). Retrieved from https://www.vantagemobility.com/blog/how-to-clean-wheelchair

Artifact Summary:

This artifact shows the solutions needed to properly clean manual and electric wheelchair wheels. It gives instructions with details what to use to clean and not damage them.

Artifact Critique:

This artifact gives advice how to properly clean wheels so that it can be incorporated into a possible device. This brings in the unique aspect of knowing what is actually needed to clean the wheels. This needs further research because even though this is a good start, it can be expanded more.

Artifact Summary Sheet #5

Source:

FRUTIGER Company AG. (n.d.). Wheel Washing. Retrieved from http://www.mobydick.com/en/wheel-washing-systems/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAxNnfBRDwARIsAJlH29Abe7p2EPvsx6ADpWdoayJu1FnMXJeACGxjyoPLK8SrE2RsFJcGzgwaApbeEALw_wcB

Artifact Summary:

Used on larger scale vehicles, the MobyDick Wheel Washing Systems is a permanant fixture that cleans truck undercarriages and wheels. It can be a one or two tire revolution system above and underground. It cleans tires by using a tank and spray jets.

Artifact Critique:

This artifact provides viability to the research by showing on a large scale option on how to clean the wheels with water with a permanent installation. Perhaps the team can take this and miniaturize it, and make it mobile to help with easy of assembly on the go.

Artifact Summary Sheet #6

Source:

HANDICAP PRODUCTS. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://aim.us.com/handicap.html

Artifact Summary:

The 3R-UNIMAT is a mat that automatically cleans wheelchair tires. It is an easy, rapid, and thorough process. It utilizes a brush and brushes off sand, stones, and anything else that could get caught in wheelchair tires. It can be installed anywhere that is wheelchair accessible.  

Artifact Critique:

It seems that an automatic brush system is the best system to get all the dirt and rocks off wheelchair wheels. This system is heavy duty, and does require construction installation, which is a downside because when a person goes places where this product is not installed, they cannot use it to clean their tires when it is needed. It is an expensive product that is not an option for all who need wheelchairs. The positive aspect is that it is automatic, so it is self-operating for those with spinal cord injuries.

Artifact Summary Sheet #7

Source:

NO-TRACS™ Automatic Wheelchair Cleaner Keeps Floors Clean, Keeps Dirt. (2008, September 12). Retrieved from https://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1323464.htm

Artifact Summary:

With NO-TRACS, those who use wheelchairs can drive onto the mat and stay in the chair while the mat automatically cleans the dirt from its wheels. The process takes thirty seconds and cleans the wheelchair wheels, power wheelchairs, and scooter wheelchairs. The product uses a standard electrical outlet for power.

Artifact Critique:

The product NO-TRACS uses an automatic, rapid, thorough cleaning process that can be installed in homes and other wheelchair accessible buildings. NO-TRACS requires an electrical outlet to provide power to work, and this makes it inconvenient for places where there is no electrical outlet where one would need their wheels cleaned. The product is not portable, so if one needs to travel to other places where this product is not installed, the owner does not have a solution with NO-TRACS. Further research is required to find a way to make the product portable and easy to use, so it can be taken with clients everywhere they go.

Artifact Summary Sheet #8

Source:

Wheelchair washers by Medco Equipment. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://www.medcoequipment.com/

Artifact Summary:

Medco Equipment Wheelchair Washers can wash one or two wheelchairs during one cycle, and takes just five minutes per cycle. It is claimed that it is  lightweight enough to be moved easily, yet heavy enough to be durable. The washers utilize 110V hookups.

Artifact Critique:

This artifact confirms that there is a need for wheelchairs to be cleaned. The interesting aspect is that it does not just clean wheelchair tires, it can hold two folded-up wheelchairs and clean them entirely. However, this means that a wheelchair user is without their wheelchair for some moment of time.

Artifact Summary Sheet #9

Source:

(n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2018, from http://www.sia-coproget.com/wheel.html

Artifact Summary:

This product prevents dirt and other outside materials from being tracked inside. On the street, there is a standard wheel that touches the ground, and while moving inside, the user can bring down a second, clean wheel. The system can be integrated for all wheelchair wheel sizes.  

Artifact Critique:

This artifact confirms the need for a way to clean wheelchair tires as it shows a different company’s solution to the problem. This artifact is the most similar to what the team has in mind, as it is an attachment on the wheel itself, and may be a good product to keep in mind for the advancement of the teams project.

Artifact Summary Sheet #10

Source:  

Medical Cleaning Morantz Ultrasonics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ultrasonicmachines.com/products-2/medical-cleaning/

Artifact Summary:

This cleaning object is for cleaning non-electric wheelchairs completely in medical environments such as a hospital. This is a cleaning method where the entire wheelchair is submerged in a cleaning solution, and ultrasonic waves (vibrations) are sent through the solution to shake any bacteria off and fully clean the wheelchair.

Artifact Critique:

This cleaning method reveals that all wheelchairs do have to be cleaned, even non electronic ones that are mainly used indoors. This ultrasonic cleaning method could be applied to clean electric wheelchair wheels if it was used in a smaller scale. Ultrasonic cleaning could be efficient enough to ensure that the dirt and other debris  are completely cleaned off wheels. Then, the wheels would be dried using the ultrasonic wave vibrations.