Effects of Orientation on the Perception of Affordances in Wheelchairs

Abstract

For people in wheelchairs, movements of the head and torso are related to the accuracy of judgments about opportunities for wheelchair locomotion. These opportunities can consist of passing between or under various objects such as doorways or hanging items. In order to determine how head and torso movements relate to the accuracy of perception of passage ability, research needed to be conducted to find correlations from various trials. Four trials consisting of a subject facingfront and judging height, facing front and judging width, facing the side and judging height, or facing the side and judging width were conducted. At this point in the research the results are only partially analysed. Predictions about this research state that the height and width judgement accuracy will correlate to head and/or torso movement, movement will differ for judging height and judging width, and that movement will also differ for viewing the apparatus straight on or making judgements from the side. Results thus far indicate that the accuracy of the perceptual judgment does not differ between the groups of people facing forward and facing side when using a sliding door. Also, we found that accuracy of judgement does not change throughout the varying trials each subject is asked to complete. Within the next couple of weeks we will have done further analysis on the information gathered and there will be a better understanding of the correlation between head and torso movement and perception of passage ability.