36 CFR Part 1195 Proposed Accessibility Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment NPRM - Preamble

Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project

There have been dramatic changes in mobility devices and the characteristics of people who use these devices. The Access Board and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research sponsored a Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project to collect measurements of approximately 500 people using a variety of mobility devices, including manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and scooters. The Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project was conducted by the Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access. The final report on the Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project was issued in 2010 and is available at: http://www.udeworld.com/anthropometrics.html.

Data from the Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project showed that the seat heights of many mobility devices are above the range specified in the 2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for certain architectural features that involve transfers and that the dimensions for wheelchair spaces, including knee and toe clearance, do not accommodate many people in the sample. Data from the Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project also showed that many people in the sample needed a lower operating force to activate certain operable parts. The Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project included recommendations for specifications that would accommodate a broader range of people who use mobility devices. The data and recommendations from the Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project are discussed in connection with the following technical criteria:

• Height of transfer surfaces on diagnostic equipment used by patients in a supine, prone, or side-lying position and diagnostic equipment used by patients in a seated position (see M301.2.1 and M302.2.1);

• Wheelchair spaces, including knee and toe clearance, at diagnostic equipment used by patients while seated in a wheelchair (see M303.2); and

• Operating force required to activate operable parts used by patients (see M307.4).

The Access Board is considering specifying alternative technical criteria in the final standards based on the Wheeled Mobility Anthropometry Project. Questions are included under the applicable sections requesting comments on the alternative technical criteria.