Feasibility study of a pair of 2-DOF step-climbing units for a manual wheelchair user

We have developed a pair of step-climbing units that can be installed in a standard manual wheelchair. We aim to enable manual wheelchair users to establish an independent life that they can lead without assistance. This mechanism is simpler because it uses the capabilities of the wheelchair user. Each unit comprises two actuators and has two degrees of freedom: telescopic motion and rotational motion. We mainly discuss a step-climbing motion using this system. Experimental results obtained when ascending the step of 15 cm height confirm the design's effectiveness.