This paper presents a comprehensive vibration analysis of a mobility scooter operating on brick paving at minimum speed, forming the foundation for the development of an adaptive suspension system incorporating Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers. Acceleration measurements were recorded simultaneously at the front chassis (horizontal direction, CH1), representing input excitation, and at the seat base (vertical direction, CH2), representing whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure to the rider.
Five repeated test runs were conducted at minimum operating speed on a standardized brick pavement section. Time-domain acceleration data were analysed to quantify vibration transmission characteristics and identify peak events requiring suspension control intervention.
Results indicate stable chassis excitation levels (0.5–1.1 m/s²) with effective vibration attenuation at the seat under most operating conditions (0.4–0.6 m/s²). However, isolated vertical acceleration peaks reaching 1.3–1.7 m/s² were observed, indicating intermittent vibration amplification events. These findings establish baseline performance requirements for MR damper control strategies and identify specific vibration events requiring adaptive damping intervention.