Design and Fabrication of a Foot-Operated Steering System for Armless People

Design and Fabrication of a Foot-Operated Steering System for Armless People | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Design and Fabrication of a Foot-Operated Steering System for Armless People Ganesh S, Harishwar RG, Amira Carel A, Janani S, Priyadharshini R This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9087034/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract I ndependent mobility remains a major challenge for individuals with upper-limb disabilities, as conventional vehicle control systems are primarily designed for hand-operated steering and braking. This paper presents the design and development of a foot-operated steering mechanism intended for armless users. The proposed system employs a rack-and-pinion arrangement actuated through a gear-assisted motor and rotary encoder interface, enabling precise steering control using lower-limb motion.A 24 V DC drive system provides propulsion, while braking and acceleration are integrated through dedicated foot controls.Detailed mechanical design calculations, steering geometry analysis, torque estimation, and energy evaluation are presented to validate system feasibility.The prototype demonstrates stable steering response within ±30° lock range and achieves an estimated operational range of 10.8 km under nominal loading conditions. The developed mechanism offers a cost-effective and practical assistive mobility solution that enhances independence and promotes inclusive vehicle design. Mechanical Engineering Assistive driving technology Foot-controlled steering mechanism Rack-and-pinion steering DC motor actuation Human–machine interface. Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9087034","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":604000811,"identity":"101f6dfd-055d-4368-a276-b21003ddcc60","order_by":0,"name":"Ganesh 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