Office of Technology Management
benefits
biotechnology
& biomedical engineering
U N I V E R S I T Y O F I L L I N O I S AT U R B A N A - C H A M PA I G N
Balance Sport
Wheelchair
The Balance Sport Wheelchair allows wheelchair
athletes to control their chair without the use of their
hands; a built in braking system harnesses the user’s
body movement to control the direction and speed of
the chair.
Increased Maneuverability
The hands-free braking/turning system allows the
athlete to maintain control of the wheelchair
independent of his/her hands. The hands are
then available for shooting, passing, and all around
play. When the athlete leans to the left, the chair
turns to the left, when the athlete leans to the
right, the chair turns to the right, and when the
athlete leans back, the chair slows and stops.
This increase in maneuverability would even make
it possible for the athlete to perform the equivalent
of a “pull-up jumper.”
Reduces injury risks
The seating and strapping systems on current
basketball wheelchairs protect the users from softtissue injuries on a minimal level. The Balance
Sport Wheelchair focuses on an ergonomically
correct seating and strapping system that would
greatly reduce the risk of serious injuries. The
greater control facilitated by the hands-free system
would decrease collisions and the injuries caused
by them.
applications
Athletics
The Balance Sport Wheelchair was designed with
wheelchair basketball in mind; the hands-free system
allows wheelchair athletes freedom from the
limitations posed by current chairs. This new mobility
and control could even prove beneficial in everyday
activities.
Tech No. TF04068
U.S. Patent pending
Tech Manager Dick Loe
Phone: 217.333.7198
Email: loe@uiuc.edu
For more information about the Office of Technology Management
please call us at 217.333.7862 or visit our website at:
www.otm.uiuc.edu
Copyright © 2005 - 2006 The Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois
biotechnology
& biomedical engineering
a whole new ballgame
The leaning of the athlete’s body is translated into
the mechanical stopping power of hydraulic disc
brakes connected to the hub of the chair’s driving
wheels. To achieve this, the seatback of the chair
is split into halves, both able to move independently.
When enough force is applied to either side of the
seatback it will move pulling on
a cable that then activates a
disc brake on the respective
wheel causing its rotation to
slow and thus the chair to turn.
Should the athlete lean straight
back, applying force to both
sides of the seatback, both
brakes are activated causing
the chair to slow and/or stop.
In wheelchair basketball there
are three types of players,
classified by their levels of
physical capabilities. Level 3
players have control of all their muscle groups.
Level 2 players have control over their arm, shoulder,
and torso muscles; with no control over their lower
body. Level 1 players use only their arm and
shoulder muscle groups to control their chair and
manipulate game play. The Balance Sport
Wheelchair will address issues of fitting and
responsiveness for each of these player levels,
making it less necessary to retrofit current designs
with specific components for individual players.
For more information about the Office of Technology Management
please call us at 217.333.7862 or visit our website at:
www.otm.uiuc.edu
Copyright © 2005 - 2006 The Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois