Examining approaches to personalized 3D printed wheelchair cushions

Abstract

Wheelchair users are a greatly varied population group for which no single product can offer a consistent level of comfort. When designing cushions for pressure relief, unique factors like a user's weight, posture, susceptibility to pressure sores, as well as other compounding conditions all call for a custom product. Unfortunately, existing custom solutions can be financially inaccessible and time-consuming to manufacture, especially in a public healthcare setting. 3D printing, which to a small extent, is already used for wheelchair cushions, can also be used to personalize them, to achieve better pressure distribution. Here, we discuss three approaches that allow users to design and print their own cushion, why that is important, and what advancements in the field will further reduce the barrier to easily achieving great results.