The study is open to manual wheelchair users and ambulatory individuals. The study aims to explore how the use of front-end wheelchair attachment devices, such as the Freewheel, impacts users’ eye gaze patterns. Specifically, navigation strategies will be explored with the use of the Tobii 3 eye-tracking system. You are invited to walk/navigate (in your own manual wheelchair with and without a FreeWheel) through a pre-determined path in Central Park, wearing the portable eye-tracking system.
Why should you participate in this study?
There may or may not be any benefit to participation in this study. Participation in this study may contribute to occupational science and/or occupational therapy education and practice.
For ambulatory participants, you may be eligible to participate in this study if you are:
- able to speak English
- able to get yourself to the study location
- 19 years of age or older
For manual wheelchair users, you may be eligible to participate in this study if you are:
- able to speak English
- able to get yourself to the study location
- 19 years of age or older
- using a manual wheelchair as your primary means of mobility
- have at least one year of manual wheelchair experience
- preferring to have experience using the FreeWheel (but no minimum experience required as there is no learning curve in navigating with one)
You may be ineligible to participate in this study if you:
- have any significant visual or auditory impairments
- have health conditions that may affect your ability to safely travel through a park trail
- have eye/vision conditions (e.g., nystagmus, cataracts, misalignment of gaze) that may impact data collection with the Tobii eye-tracking system
- are unable to wheel for 30 minutes on different terrains (for manual wheelchair participants)
Time commitment
90 minutes
Compensation
Participants will receive a gift card for their time, to a popular vendor of their choice from a provided list (e.g. Amazon, Starbucks).
This study will take place:
- Central Park 3883 Imperial St, Burnaby, BC V5S 3R2
For more information or to sign up to participate, please contact the study coordinator, Sharmaine Salarda, by email at sasalard@student.ubc.ca.
