Motorized wheelchair Wikipedia
The electric motors of powerchairs are usually powered by 12 to 80 ampere hour rechargeable deep cycle batteries, the smaller batteries are used in pairs to give the chair enough power to last at least one day between charges. These are available in wet or dry options. As wet cell batteries may not legally be carried on an aircraft without removing them from the wheelchair and securing them in a shipping container, dry cell batteries are preferred for powerchair use. Many powerchairs carry an on board charger which can be plugged into a standard wall outlet; older or more portable models may have a separate charger unit. Controllers are most commonly an arm rest mounted joystick which may have additional controls to allow the user to tailor sensitivity or access multiple control modes.
The controller may be swing away to aid in side transfers. For users who are unable to use a hand controller various alternatives are available such as sip and puff controllers, worked by blowing into a sensor. In some cases the controller may be mounted for use by an aide walking behind the chair rather than by the user. Capabilities include turning one drivewheel forward while the other goes backward, thus turning the wheelchair within its own length. The seating on a powerchair can vary in design. Starting with a basic sling seat and backrest made of vinyl or nylon, some chairs have an optional padding, some have more comfortable cushion and backrest options which may include a head rest.
There are companies which can fit their own backrests and seat cushions for people with increased need for stability in the trunk, or at increased risk of pressure sores from sitting out. Finally, specialist seating solutions are available for users who need individually tailored support. Leg rests may be integrated into the seating design and may have powered adjustment for those users who need to vary their leg position. Powerchairs may also have a tilt in space, or reclining facility for users who are unable to maintain an upright seating position indefinitely. This function can also help with comfort by shifting pressure to different areas for a while, or with positioning in a wheelchair when a user needs to be hoisted in.
Powerchairs may be designed for indoor, outdoor or indoor/outdoor use. A typical indoor powerchair will be narrow and short, to enable better manoeuvring around tight environments. Controls are usually simple, and due to the smaller design, the chair would be less stable outdoors. Tyres are often smoother once called carpet tyres to look after the flooring in a home. Indoor/outdoor powerchairs again will be as small in design as possible, but with a reasonable range in the batteries, some grippy tyres but not big knobbly off road tyres, these often include a kerb climber to assist with manoeuvres where there are no drop kerbs.
Intended for pavement use only. Outdoor powerchairs have a considerable range, a large wheelbase to help with stability, and large tyres which improve the comfort and handling of the chair. These can sometimes be driven indoors in adapted environments, but not around a typical home. Powerchairs are generally prescribed for use by users who are unable to use a manual wheelchair. However, in both the US Medicare and some private insurers and the UK National Health Service powerchairs are generally not prescribed to users who have any ability to walk within the home, even if that ability is so functionally constrained as to be practically useless and where the user is unable to use a manual wheelchair independently.
Disability rights activists are campaigning for prescription procedures to focus on an individual needs based assessment rather than on inflexible application of prescription rules. The restricted prescribing leads to many users being forced to procure a solution privately, in some cases settling for a powerchair or a mobility scooter that is less than ideal to their needs but which falls within their budget.