Development and evaluation of a facile mesh-to-surface tool for customised wheelchair cushions

Customization of manual wheelchair components: a state-of-the-art review

Custom wheelchairs, tailored to users' unique needs, have gained increasing attention because of their potential to increase mobility, comfort, and overall quality of life for the people using them. Employing a state-of-the-art review methodology, this literature review systematically categorizes the existing body of research on the design and manufacture of customizable manual wheelchair components, identifies current practices, and suggests areas for further research. We found that the literature to date has focused on the design and manufacture of custom-contoured cushions, and few studies have focused on other components or wheelchair customization as a whole. Technological advances in the past decade have seen the move from manual, time-consuming customization processes to digital workflows with the support of design tools. Advanced technologies such as 3D scanning, parametric modeling, product configuration systems, and finite element analysis have emerged as tools for enhancing the performance and aesthetics of wheelchair components. While the published literature provides a valuable foundation, the field of wheelchair customization is rapidly evolving, driven by ongoing innovations from manufacturers. This review highlights the need for further research to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world progress in the design and manufacturing of custom manual wheelchairs.

Potential Applications and Additive Manufacturing Technology-Based Considerations of Mesoporous Silica: A Review

Nanoporous materials are categorized as microporous (pore sizes 0.2-2 nm), mesoporous (pore sizes 2-50 nm), and macroporous (pore sizes 50-1000 nm). Mesoporous silica (MS) has gained a significant interest due to its notable characteristics, including organized pore networks, specific surface areas, and the ability to be integrated in a variety of morphologies. Recently, MS has been widely accepted by range of manufacturer and as drug carrier. Moreover, silica nanoparticles containing mesopores, also known as mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), have attracted widespread attention in additive manufacturing (AM). AM commonly known as three-dimensional printing is the formalized rapid prototyping (RP) technology. AM techniques, in comparison to conventional methods, aid in reducing the necessity for tooling and allow versatility in product and design customization. There are generally several types of AM processes reported including VAT polymerization (VP), powder bed fusion (PBF), sheet lamination (SL), material extrusion (ME), binder jetting (BJ), direct energy deposition (DED), and material jetting (MJ). Furthermore, AM techniques are utilized in fabrication of various classified fields such as architectural modeling, fuel cell manufacturing, lightweight machines, medical, and fabrication of drug delivery systems. The review concisely elaborates on applications of mesoporous silica as versatile material in fabrication of various AM-based pharmaceutical products with an elaboration on various AM techniques to reduce the knowledge gap.