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Pneumatic Technology for Powered Mobility Devices

NCT03898362 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 20

Last updated 2025-08-20

Study results available
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Summary

Over 240,000 Veterans with disabilities use mobility devices such as manual and power wheelchairs and scooters, and this number continues to grow. Mobility devices have been described as the most enabling technology a clinician can provide to a person with a disability. Yet, the batteries used to power scooters and wheelchairs have many drawbacks. Batteries are hazardous to humans and the environment, heavy (which limits transportability), and incompatible with wet or highly humid environments. Repairs to electrical systems and replacement of batteries are frequently needed. These are costly and adversely affect the Veteran. Compressed air is a power source that overcomes many of these disadvantages. The investigators have developed a scooter and a wheelchair that are powered solely by compressed air. The purpose of this study is to clinically evaluate the impact of these new devices on Veterans living in long-term care facilities, and to obtain feedback from nurses, therapists, and engineers regarding their design and feasibility of use in long-term care.

Conditions

  • Disability

Interventions

OTHER

pneumatically powered wheelchair or scooter

a wheelchair or scooter powered by compressed air will be used for 6 months. Compressed air is a novel power source and no batteries are used in these devices.

DEVICE

battery powered wheelchair or scooter

a wheelchair or scooter powered by a battery will be used for 6 months. These are conventional mobility devices that the participants are using or in the process of obtaining

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • VA Office of Research and Development

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Brad E. Dicianno, MD MS · VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-10-01
Primary Completion
2024-07-31
Completion
2024-07-31
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03898362 on ClinicalTrials.gov