Comfort perception on wheelchair lock actuating rod position in younger and older adults

The operability and comfort of the wheelchair lock actuating rod (WLAR) are paramount in ensuring users' operational safety. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the WLAR in different position configurations on users' comfort perception and to explore the effects of human factors such as age, gender, and height on comfort perception scores. A total of 40 participants were invited to participate in the study, comprising 20 younger adults (10 men and 10 women, aged 20–30) and 20 older adults (10 men and 10 women, aged 50–90 years). In the experiment, the position of the wheelchair lock was randomly adjusted, and then the participants operated the actuator and provided a comfort perception evaluation. Subsequently, the data were subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA, and the results demonstrated that age and height significantly influenced the comfort scores, while gender did not exhibit a statistically significant impact. In particular, men exhibited higher Kansei scores for "postural comfort" than women, whereas women demonstrated higher scores for other comfort evaluations than men. For the older participants, the K8 position was determined to be the optimal position for the WLAR. These findings indicate that age, gender, and height are significant variables influencing the perceived comfort of the WLAR position, underscoring the necessity of incorporating individual differences in the design of the WLAR. The findings of this study can inform the design and optimal positioning of the WLAR for older users, enhancing its operability and comfort.