K.U.R.T (crank-based, low-impact wheelchair drive)

More than 65 million people worldwide rely on a wheelchair for daily mobility. The high joint loads during manual wheelchair propulsion with the hand rim frequently lead to injuries at shoulder and wrist joints. In a stand-alone FWF project a research team at TU Wien dealt exactly with this topic and developed a novel, manual wheelchair drive mechanism, which is optimized for the musculoskeletal system of the arm and avoids high loads at extreme joint angles. Within the here applied for project "K.U.R.T." the results of the research project will be communicated. On the one hand general awareness will be established using web presence and relevant scientific events, and on the other hand specific target groups students at higher technical schools (HTLs) and teaching staff, wheelchair users, medical professionals and company representatives will be targeted. Students at HTLs throughout Austria will be challenged in a "60-day challenge" to develop an alternative wheelchair drive based on the results of the underlying FWF project and the findings of an online survey that will be carried out among wheelchair users. Accompanying social media coverage will keep all interested parties continuously informed about the progress of the project. The submitted solutions of the "60-day challenge" will be judged by an expert jury and the three winning teams will be invited to present their solutions during a visit and a factory tour at Ottobock Healthcare Products GmbH in Vienna. The winners of the first place will also have the opportunity to actively participate in the final design as well as in the production of the prototypes at the TU Wien. A public `unveiling` of the final prototype will take place in the context of a presentation event at TU Wien in the presence of media representatives. In order to reach a wider public with K.U.R.T, informational events will be organized in rehabilitation centers and for industry representatives, where it will also be possible to test the prototypes. Likewise, K.U.R.T. will be presented to the public at the Long Night of Research in Vienna and events such as the Wings4Life-Run. K.U.R.T involves multiple activities to increase general awareness; will motivate students to engage creatively and constructively with disability and inclusion issues; and will directly address wheelchair users on the one hand and target groups in the field of medicine and industry on the other hand. The project will continuously be accompanied by the department of "PR and Marketing" of TU Wien and additionally be supported by the "Research and Transfer Support" of TU Wien. Ottobock Healthcare Products GmbH will provide three wheelchairs for the project and will also participate in the evaluation of the results of the `60 - day Challenge `.

More than 65 million people worldwide rely on a wheelchair for daily mobility. High joint loads during manual wheelchair propulsion with the hand rim frequently lead to injuries at shoulder and wrist joints. In a stand-alone FWF project a research team at TU Wien dealt exactly with this topic and developed a novel, manual wheelchair drive mechanism, which is optimized for the musculoskeletal system of the arm and avoids high loads at extreme joint angles. The subsequent science-communication project "K.U.R.T." aimed at communicating the results of the research project, by creating general awareness for the topic and specifically addressing target groups. In order to communicate the project to the wider public, to inform about progress and to raise awareness of the topic in general, the website kurtproject.com was set up at the beginning of the project, as well as a Facebook page and Twitter messages at regular intervals informed about the progress. In an online survey, wheelchair users were asked about aspects they considered important for further development of the innovative wheelchair drive for suitability for everyday use. Based on the survey results, requirements for the K.U.R.T. prototype were defined. The "60-day challenge" challenged students at HTLs throughout Austria to develop an alternative wheelchair drive based on the results of the underlying FWF individual project and the findings of the online survey. Through accompanying social media reporting, all interested parties were continuously informed about the project. Due to the corona pandemic and associated lockdowns and school closures, the participating teams were supported via online meetings, six teams of students handed in their constructions in the form of PowerPoint presentations. The solutions submitted were evaluated by a specialist jury consisting of representatives from associations for the disabled, relevant companies and medical professionals. Final design and manufacture of the Prototype were carried out at TU Wien in cooperation with the winning team from HTL Mödling. The public 'unveiling' of the final K.U.R.T. Prototype took place as part of a presentation event in the celebration hall of TU Wien. The activities to increase general awareness of the K.U.R.T project have led to a large number of press releases in both print and online media and to continued strong interest from wheelchair users. The jury consisted of high-ranking representatives from industry, medicine and interest groups. The objective of communicating the research project to the general public and special target groups was met very well. Additionally, as part of the '60-day challenge', the students dealt with the topic of 'disability' and inclusion in a very creative and constructive manner, which also contributed to raising awareness of the topic in this group.