Saving the Day: Programming Parameters

By: Joseph “J.B.” Radabaugh, CTRS, ATP/SMS, Quantum Clinical Education Manager

We have moved from a social environment where we are worried of losing our work to one where simply locating a needed file is a big challenge. Our storage capacities have increased so much that we rarely worry about storage space when saving work on a computer. This change in technology presents the question: What are the best options to save, store, and locate previous programming parameters for specific patients when there are so many of them to manage?

The Q-Logic 3 system has the unique ability to store a large amount of XPA – (power wheelchair programming files) in the wheelchair itself. This allows you to make changes to the chair, save the old programming and be able to revert the chair back and forth based on the client’s preferences or needs in the long term. This also allows you to see what changes have been previously made to the programming of the power wheelchair to prevent you from starting from scratch each time you program for that client. The best part is that as long as the power wheelchair with Q-Logic 3 expandable electronics is with the client, anyone (therapist, ATP, technician) wanting to program, re-program, or revert programming changes to a previous setup can do so without contacting others to get a copy of the old programming, as all the revisions can be stored in its memory.

Show Me How:

Required Equipment: Handheld programmer (HHP), Econ-W or Econ-I. Any of these programming tools can complete the task. In the following example, we use Econ-W to complete the following steps, each correlated with an image below. Happy saving!

Bluetooth and Apple® Devices

Step 1: Once you have paired the Econ-W programming station to the power wheelchair, click on “File”

Step 2: Select “System Configuration”

Step 3: Select “Yes” to change the state of the connected system to Programming Mode

Step 4: Select “Add Current” – This saves an additional copy of the current programmed parameters.

Step 5: Select “Add Current” – This saves an additional copy of the current programmed parameters.

Step 6: Click on the New File name to change the name of the file.

Step 7: To return to programming parameters, simply select “Parameter Setting.” Your backup file has been created, saved and stored in a place that is available to the next person that programs this specific chair