Meru Networks Bugzi User manual

An introducon to
early years mobility with
MERU, Unit 2 Eclipse Estate, 30 West Hill, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8JD
01372 725203 [e-mail]
Powering children’s independence

2
Bugzi Guide
Introducing Bugzi
Bugzi is all about discovery. It is about exploring and learning and growing as people.
Mobility is a fundamental aspect of human nature. We start at an early age, typically six
months, long before walking is mastered. We kick and wriggle, rock and roll and strive
eventually to crawl or shue about. We invesgate, examine, touch and taste everything
we can get our hands on, interacng with other people, objects and the space around us.
By the me we are able to walk we have already travelled many miles under our own
steam, fallen over, bumped our heads, made friends and learned where to nd our
favourite toys.
These experiences provide much of the
nourishment that our brains need at
this stage in order to develop, because
it is external smuli that create neural
pathways and connecons. By the age
of 2 our brains are 90% of their adult
size, and shaped by millions of individual
experiences of people, objects, space
and moon.
Our ability to communicate as small
children also depends very heavily on
mobility. With few words at our disposal
we must direct the aenon of others in
various physical ways. All our emoons
as small children have acve physical
expressions – from running up and giving
you a cuddle to throwing ourselves on
the oor and having a tantrum.
Bugzi is designed to enable non-mobile children to have more of these vital formave
experiences. It gives them independence, and places them at a level where they can
play with other children, and the objects and spaces of the child’s world. It is not a
substute for crawling or walking, but it goes a long way towards enabling children
to share in the discovery and excitement of being mobile, and to help them enjoy
the company of other children and adults in a more interacve way.

3
Bugzi Guide
NEVER USE
NEAR
UNGUARDED
STEPS
Bugzi has been specically designed to provide powered mobility to very young
children.
We have done our best to make it as safe as possible - the body shell surrounds the
driver protecng from impacts and its so curves help to prevent injury to the driver
and people around them. The drive wheels are completely enclosed, and spoke-less,
so it is almost impossible to trap ngers in them. Bugzi is low and stable and does
not topple easily.
It has been rigorously tested against the requirements of the Medical Devices
Direcve (EU legislaon governing the safety of this type of equipment). We are not
aware of any incident in the years since the rst trial Bugzis were issued where injury
has been caused to a child.
However, there are potenal dangers and any young child requires intensive
supervision.
Summary of serious risk issues
These are the hazards most likely to cause serious injury to the occupant of Bugzi:
•Bugzi topples over when going down steps
•The child hits their head when driving forwards or reversing
•Impact of Bugzi against solid objects (walls etc)
•Electric shock if Bugzi is immersed in, or splashed with large
 quanesofliquid
•Bugzitopplesoverifchildreninaddiontothedriveraempt
to climb onto it
Safety first

4
Bugzi Guide
Authorised Usage
Bugzi is intended to be used in the following situaons. It should not be used in any
other situaon:
•As a child’s Class A electric wheelchair (indoor use only)
•Only under adult supervision
•Indrycondions
•By a single child not exceeding 25 kg in weight
•Indoorsonatoorswithstepsnotexceeding20mminheight,or
outdoorsonhard,atsurfaces,awayfromslopesandsteps,with
undulaonsnotexceeding20mm
•Withthechildwearingheadproteconifthereareobstaclesathead
height (such as table tops) which the child may come into contact with
•Supervisorsmustbetrainedinthecorrectset-upandoperaonofBugzi
and must familiarise themselves thoroughly with the contents of the
Instrucons for Use.
Modicaonandadaptaon
The Bugzi may not be modied or adapted in any way without the wrien approval
of MERU for each specic adaptaon. The device must not be dismantled or
modied in any way by any other person or organisaon unless authorised by
MERU.
Safetyprecauons
Failure to observe these precauons may result in injury
•Bugzi is for indoor use only
•Use only under adult supervision
•Use only a MiniCAPS seat correctly prescribed for each individual child
•Ensurechildisappropriatelyharnessedinseatandallmounngsand
straps are properly fastened
•Ensure that the seat has an appropriate headrest
•Considerheadproteconforthechild
•Ensure all obstacles are removed from the immediate environment, or
suitablyprotected,parcularlythoseatthechild’sheadheight,suchas
tabletops,andsmallobjectsontheoor
•Ensureprogrammingofcontrollerisappropriatetotheabilies
of the child
•Ensure child and carer have appropriate levels of training and supervision
to safely installed correctly and checked prior to every session of use

5
Bugzi Guide
•Ensure correct interface board is used for the seat, and that it is changed
when the seat size is changed
•Ensure set-up of seat and controller is correct for each individual child
when changing over from one to another
• Useonlyspecied,approvedaccessorieswithBugziincludingseatsand
baerychargerssupplied
•Useofinappropriatechargersmayresultindamagetobaeriesand
controllers and possible leakage of acid or explosion
MERU Bugzi Supervisor’s Guide Page 5 of 11
• Takecarenottotrapngerswhenchanginginterfaceboardsand
installing seats
• Weight of child must not exceed 25kg
• Maintenanceinspeconsofbodyshelltobecarriedoutatregular
intervals,parcularlyfollowingcollisions
• Unauthorised persons must not disassemble or modify Bugzi
• Do not place Bugzi in direct sunlight for extended periods as body shell
maybecomehotandcontroller/baeriesmayoverheat
• LiquidsmustnotbespiltonBugzi,parcularlythebaerycover
•Failure to clean Bugzi with a damp cloth and disinfectant when
changeoveroccursbetweenchildrenmayresultincross-contaminaon
•AchildwithhighsuscepbilitytoinfeconmustnotshareanBugziwith
another child
•Failuretoobserveliingandhandlinginstruconsmayresultininjury
•DrivingperformanceofBugzimaybeaectedbyelectromagnecelds
suchasemiedbyportabletelephonesandotheremingdevicesBugzi
maydisturbtheperformanceofelectromagneceldssuchasemiedby
alarm systems of shops
•Disposeofleakingbaerieswithcare–theuidmaycauseacidburns
•Baeriesshouldbedisposedofatanapprovedrecyclingcentre
Headprotecon
Because of the danger of the Bugzi pilot hing their head on obstacles such as
table tops, and the risk of Bugzi toppling over where steps or other obstacles may
be present, it is recommended that operators wear protecve headgear. MERU
recommends a child’s cycle helmet, or other purpose-made and cered protecve
headgear.
Liing and handling Bugzi - refer to Instrucons for Use

6
Bugzi Guide
The “driving” environment
Children who have no previous experience of independent mobility have things to
learn about space, movement, distance etc. which most of us take for granted.
They will discover and learn for themselves, with a lile encouragement, if a safe
environment is provided. This factor is crucial in ensuring the success of a child’s
introducon to the Bugzi, because any experience which unseles the child,
parcularly in the early stages of discovery, may put a child o using Bugzi
indenitely.
IMPORTANT
PREPARATIONS WHY?
Use only on hard, dry,
atsurfaces
Bugzi will not climb steps exceeding 20 mm (3/4”)
high, therefore its ability to negoate rough surfaces,
slopes and obstacles is very limited, and any aempt
to do so may cause Bugzi to topple over, potenally
causing serious injury or even death to the occupant.
It may also cause damage to Bugzi.
Guard steps higher than
20mm (3/4”)
Use a stair gate or similar. Any aempt to negoate
steps in Bugzi, whether intenonal or accidental,
may cause it to topple over, potenally causing
serious injury or even death to the occupant. Young
children can not be expected to know the danger
of this, and must not be allowed to nd out for
themselves!!!
Remove other obstacles
Furniture, toys, ornaments etc. should be removed
to create as much space as possible, parcularly
when a child is rst introduced to Bugzi. Table tops
present a hazard because they are oen at head
height for Bugzi pilots. Try to prevent access to them
unl you are sure the child understands the risk
and has mastered the controls, and ensure head
protecon is worn. Floor standing ornaments may be
damaged by inexperienced pilots
Maintain a calm, quiet
atmosphere
Over-excited children are more liable to lose control.
Try to minimise the number of people present, at
least during early sessions with Bugzi.

7
Bugzi Guide
Correctly specied and adjusted seang is crucial to the successful operaon
of Bugzi. A child must be in a stable sing posion in a Bugzi in order to have
maximum funconal control. Driving requires considerable concentraon and any
discomfort or instability will distract the child’s aenon from the task in hand.
Bugzi accepts the MiniCAPS seang system from Acve Design Ltd. The CAPS II
Seang System must be nally set and adjusted by a qualied therapist and/or
rehabilitaon engineer. Please see CAPSIIFingProcedure supplied with your
MiniCAPS seat.
The most important consideraons are to make sure:
•Thechildissingwellbackwithasymmetricalpelvis(ifpossible)
•The seat width and length is correct
•Their feet are on the footplates (straps on if appropriate)
•Knee blocks are in place, if required
•Thetrayisedsymmetricallyinfrontofthechild
•The headrest is in place and at the correct height
Seating

8
Bugzi Guide
The most important feature of the Bugzi control system is adaptability. The R-NET
Omni2 control unit allows a huge range of control opons including individual
push-buons, switch panels, switch joyscks, proporonal joyscks, sip & pu,
head switches – almost any method of control
available today.
The usual methods are push-buons and switch
joysck.
The screen buons Bugzi uses are...
For full instrucons go to www.support.pgdt.com/omni2-manual.pdf
Push-buons
Bugzi can be supplied with the widely available “Buddy” buons (or Tash™
switches) (6.5cm across) or the giant 13cm type, but other buons can also be
used including small 2.5cm buons and switch panels. As long as there is a meter
or so of cable and 3.5mm jack plug on the end, any buon can be used.
It is not usually necessary to have more than three buons: - forwards, le and
right. Reverse buons tend to get in the way and in any event Bugzi can spin round
to point in any direcon. What can be useful is to have a reverse buon behind the
seat for the supervisor to operate in case the child gets stuck in a corner.
MERU supplies buons in green, red and yellow with Velcro™ on the boom.
Posion them consistently and try to remember: Sck to the same colour and
posion for each direcon helps to avoid confusion. Imagine that every me you
got into your car the steering wheel had swapped sides!
Controls
Go! (forwards)
Right
Le
On/O1
Prole2P
-/+ Speed3
1
3
2
3

9
Bugzi Guide
Joyscks
There are a number of joyscks that could be used with the Bugzi (or any other
powered wheelchair). This includes the full range of proporonal joyscks
available from Dynamic Controls.
MERU makes a child-friendly one specically designed for Bugzi called Moozi.
Moozi is a low prole switch joysck with a large at base making it suitable
for aachment to any at surface with Velcro™. This means it can be posioned
anywhere on the tray where the child can reach it easily. No screws or brackets
are needed. Moozi is available in a number of aracve colour combinaons and
with several dierent styles of knob.
Alternaveswitch
mounngs
Switches for operang Bugzi don’t
have to be at on they tray in front
of the child. They can be mounted in
headrests and other locaons, or even
a combinaon of places. A Bugzi was
recently set up for a boy using head
switches for le and right and a tray
mounted buon for forwards. Do be
creave about posioning controls, but
also try to be consistent and don’t keep
changing things unl the child has had
a good go at it. They will surprise you
with their abilies when the movaon
is strong enough!
One device to help with switch
posioning is Flexzi.
Flexzi is a simple posioning device
that allows small and lightweight items
(such as switches) to be easily placed
in an accessible locaon for a person
to operate. The Flexzi can be aached
to any at surface using Velcro, or can
be xed to a bar or surface edge with
a clamp. The stem bends easily to
posion the device exactly where it’s
needed. Like Moozi no ddly screws or
brackets are required!
Moozi
Flexzi

10
Bugzi Guide
Now to the fun bit. In collaboraon with experienced professionals in this eld and
from our own experience with Bugzi we have developed a pathway to wheelchair
driving for young children. It is a process to help them develop from complete
novices to competent wheelchair drivers who are able to move on to indoor/
outdoor powered chairs.
Managingexpectaons
Some children are able to drive a Bugzi within minutes of geng into it. This is a
wonderful experience for carers as well as children. We have seen parents break
down in tears as their children make their rst moves around with Bugzi. However
it’s important to realise that most children will take quite a long me to get the
hang of it. Remember how long it takes children to learn to crawl and walk? It can
take months, even years for children to master driving, especially if they have co-
ordinaon dicules. Some will never be able to drive it fully independently, so
please be paent and don’t be cross about what your child can’t or
won’t do. Encourage and praise them and observe carefully and you may well be
pleasantly surprised by what they can do.
Before you start…
•Try to set up the minicaps seat/tray and switches (so the child does not
havetowaitalongmetostartdriving!)
•Try and create a suitable environment:
A calm and familiar place
Not too many people around
As much space as possible
Remove unnecessary obstacles
•AllowthechildtoexploreBugzi–showthemwhatitdoes,letthemhave
a go before they get into it. On no account force them into it - this could put
themoindenitely.Somechildrenarefrightenedorjustdon’tfeellikeit.
Try again another day.
•Once it is all set up, step back and let the child experiment - don’t
interfere too much or keep changing things.
•Assumethattheiraconsareintenonal–circlingconnuously,being
sllforlongperiodsandcrashingareoendeliberate.
•Supervisecarefullybutdiscreetly–childrendon’talwaysliketofeelthey
are being watched.
Driving