A) Problem Statement:
The world is facing a major crisis to handle COVID-19, considering following key problems of our society:

• Worldwide pandemic 
• Exponential spread & growth of COVID-19 positive cases, deaths and its fear & absolute halt of economic growth
• Maintain social distancing
• High demand for medical equipment in bulk quantity & crisis of its availability to handle the situation
• Additionally need of wheelchair for every patient visiting the hospital with or without COVID-19 – old aged people, handicapped, people needed assistance.

India and world need equipment which will aid medical systems to make it efficient, low cost solution faster & automated equipment with safety and importantly to maintain social distancing, so I innovated to design and manufacture this wheelchair.

B) Innovative Solution of Wheelchair:

1. Key Features

• Wheelchair designed for usage at hospital/dispensary/COVID centers
• Semi-automated wheelchair driven with joystick
• Embedded mechanism to climb wheelchairs automated on stairs
• Automated obstacle detection
• Portable 
• Lightweight design with no welding. Standard tubes are used to bolt and assemble.
• IOT based alert system for location
• Ultrasonic sensor based braking system with Arduino
• IOT based alert for safety -- alert to family/medical staff when collision
• Electric battery operated wheelchair
• Option to charge battery with solar
• 20 hours endurance per battery charge with minimum 10 KMPH

C) Stages/Methodology adopted in design & life cycle of wheelchair:

1. Stage-I: Concept of Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) followed:
• carried system approach Requirement Management, Functional Analysis Logical Analysis and then Physical Design
• Innovative features are included in design as listed above in key features.
• We studied requirement of hospital for wheel chair, their challenges of hospital staff, outdoor and indoor patients
• Carried benchmarking of similar products
• Developed ‘Make or Buy’ strategy on sub-systems, components & supply chain
• And then finalised features and function iteratively
2. Stage-II: Product Technical Specification at glimpse finalised:
• Weight of Wheelchair: 25 Kg
• Weight Wheelchair can hold: 90 Kg
• DC Motor: 400 W, 3000 RPM
• Battery: 12V, 600Ah
• Discharging Time: 20 Hour after full charge
• Maximum Speed: 35 Km/h
• Minimum Speed: 10 Km/h
• Charging time: 5 Hour from 0% to 100%
• Others: IOT, Joystick, mechanism for climbing, Braking system, safety
3. Stage-III: Product Design – Using various apps of CATIA
• Designed various mechanical components of wheelchairs – Tire, Hand rest, Frame, Wheels, seat, Joystick, braking systems, Rim, Back rest, stair climbing mechanism, fasteners etc. and developed 3D CAD model
• Also designed electrical sub-systems – LED light, Battery, Motors, charging point, controller, sensors
• Parametric & Features based design is carried
• Bill of materials preparation & drawing for manufacturing
• Rendering of product and its parts/subsystems along with material assignment
• It was very complex to design product with intended objectives.