Sip and Puff Controls are used on which type of wheelchair?

• A. Used On Manual Wheelchairs
• B. Used On Both Manual and Power Wheelchairs
• C. Used Only On Power Wheelchairs
• D. Not Used in Mobility Devices

Answer: (C)

Sip and puff controls are a breath-activated input method that converts inhaling or exhaling into commands for the wheelchair’s drive system. They require a motorized chair with an electric drive and control interface, so they’re used to operate power wheelchairs. Manual wheelchairs don’t have a propulsion motor to respond to these signals, since propulsion is done by the user’s hand-rim movement, not an electronic drive. For this reason, sip and puff controls are used only on power wheelchairs, offering an alternative input method for individuals with limited or no hand function. On power chairs, the breaths can be mapped to directions or speed changes, depending on the setup.