Vibration Characterisation of Strollers and Cargo Bicycles for Transporting Infants

Including Recommendations for Users, Designers, Manufacturers, and Researchers

Abstract

We evaluated vibrations with dummies representing infants aged 0, 3, and 9 months lying or sitting in five strollers and two cargo bicycles with dedicated baby seats on six common road surfaces using the ISO standard for whole-body vibration. Strollers induced on average 0.4 m s−2 on tarmac and up to 5.0 m s−2 on cobblestones at a mean walking speed of 5.3 km h−1 . Cargo bicycles induced on average 0.6 m s−2 on tarmac and up to 10.7 m s−2 at 25 km h−1 on paver bricks. The standard suggests the highest accelerations for strollers and cargo bicycles are extremely uncomfortable and continuous exposure should be limited to less than 10 min. Two vintage strollers significantly reduced vibrations compared to three modern strollers, indicating benefits of compliant suspensions. We recommend designers systematically consider vibration, users avoid prolonged exposure to surfaces rougher than tarmac, and researchers to pursue scientifically founded test procedures and standards for infant vibration.