Learning to Drive: Evaluation of a Prototype to Prepare Children for a Power Chair

Power wheelchairs cost a significant amount of money, and insurance companies will not pay for a power wheelchair unless the child can demonstrate that he or she knows how to use the chair. Learning to use a power wheelchair takes time and practice, which is why some companies provide loaners; however, the loan period is not always long enough. This paper presents, Power Touring, a driving game intended to assist young children in learning to use a joystick in an effort to decrease the learning curve of a power wheelchair. We present a pilot study evaluating the functionality of the game. We then present a target study where the refined game was evaluated by five children. Four of the five children demonstrated progress in learning to use the joystick. The goal of this work is to serve as a foundation for future refinement of the application and joystick controller. Future refinements will be evaluated regarding the impact using the game had on the time it takes a child to learn to use a power wheelchair effectively.