SCI-Mobility laboratory

In relation to disability, we carry out various tests on existing products. Our team is also developing innovative solutions to improve quality of life for people with reduced mobility.

Our lab

The SCI-Mobility lab aims to make it easier for people with reduced mobility to get around day to day. We test market products for users and industry. The development and prototyping of new vehicles at our lab enables us to adopt an innovative approach to improving the safety, comfort and autonomy of the persons concerned. Various partnerships also mean the SCI-Mobility lab is a research facility very much open to the outside world. Projects aiming to revolutionise people’s rehabilitation, participation in sport and mobility using additional means of transport are currently being carried out at our lab. Combining human and machine capabilities is an integral part of our laboratory’s research plans.

Institute for Energy and Mobility Research IEM

Our work involves researching and developing new solutions for storing and converting electricity for the energy supply and distribution sectors. We are also looking to make mobility as energy-efficient as...

Services

Our lab provides the following range of services:

Feasibility studies
Research
Prototyping
Static testing of existing solutions
Dynamic testing of existing solutions
Student projects
Work placements for people with disabilities

Brochure

Industry Relations (PDF, 1 MB)

Areas of expertise

Testing and analysis of electric drives for wheelchairs
Testing and measuring the rigidity of wheelchair frames
Measuring deformation using a strain gauge
Fatigue testing on vehicles for people with reduced mobility
Testing and measuring the electric drives of trikes, bikes and cargo bikes
Feasibility studies on the construction of vehicles for people with reduced mobility
Prototyping of such vehicles
Project support for the development of vehicles for people with reduced mobility

Event for specialists

Inauguration of the new SCI Mobility Lab 7 April 2022 | Biel

Helping people with reduced mobility to get around is an extremely important topic. The lack of information on mobility aids and the lack of interest in the development of these vehicles complicate the...

07.04.2022, 5.15pm–7pm – Quellgasse 21, Biel

Infrastructure

Our recently built lab has the following technical infrastructure:

Rig for testing bending and tensional strain in wheelchairs (under construction)
Testing rig for 2, 3 or 4-wheeled electric bikes (under construction)
Strain gauge measuring equipment

Projects

Comparative testing of electric drives for wheelchairs

SCI-Mobility offers a comparative test for various electric wheelchair drive systems. These results are made available to the public to enhance market transparency.

Institute Institute for Energy and Mobility Research IEM
Head of project Vincent Morier-Genoud

See research project

Development of an electric drive for wheelchairs (GO-Quad)

The project aims to find a solution for the stability issues of wheelchairs with an electric drive.

Institute Institute for Energy and Mobility Research IEM
Head of project Prof. Sebastian Tobler

See research project

Testing rig for 2, 3 and 4-wheeled e-bikes

The goal of the project is to design a testing rig for the drive measurements of 2-, 3- and 4-wheeled e-bikes. That way, theoretical data from the technical documentation can be compared with real measurements.

Institute Institute for Energy and Mobility Research IEM
Head of project Prof. Sebastian Tobler

See research project

Fatigue testing for the GO-TRYKE hand-operated, back-pedalling system

The company GBY SA assigned the task of carrying out fatigue testing on a hand-operated, back-pedalling system to the SCI-Mobility lab. The tests proved the high resilience of the system.