Brilliant Leaning Wheelchair Design is Easier to Steer, Takes Less Energy to Use

Research assistants at ETH Zurich's Laboratory for Movement Biomechanics have identified a problem common to users of manual wheelchairs. Reto Togni and Stefan Villiger learned that wheelchair users have to constantly correct course, putting undue strain on their shoulders and occasionally causing injury. When rolling across a surface that's tilted to one side—as sidewalks are, in order to shed rain—the user must push harder on the down side. Also, when turning, the user must essentially...