Introduction
Comfort in wheelchair use is influenced not only by ergonomic factors but also by socio-emotional aspects that shape the user's experience. This study aims to explore how socio-emotional factors can be integrated into the representational aspects of wheelchairs.

Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 37 wheelchair users using Kansei Engineering methods. Participants provided data on semantic and product spaces through a questionnaire covering demographics, aesthetic importance, symbolic importance, and social communication challenges. They also rated four distinct wheelchairs using Kansei words (KWs). Then, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) linked users' insights to specific wheelchair properties.

Results
Aesthetic (76%) and Symbolic (56%) importance, as well as age, were significantly associated with social communication challenges (57%) (p < 0.05). Age was significantly associated with both Aesthetic and Symbolic importance, while gender was only linked to Aesthetic importance (p < 0.05). Descriptive analysis indicated that advanced manual and powered wheelchair designs scored higher than conventional ones. Accordingly, three key components were identified for both categories, with the highest loadings of KW in each. QFD results prioritized adjustable frame design, with 8.61% for manual and 10.44% for powered models, as key to enhancing socio-emotional aspects.

Conclusions
Beyond analyzing the dynamics of aesthetics, symbolism, and social challenges, this study uncovers users' perceptions of wheelchair design characteristics. It proposes principal components to guide designers and includes computational analysis to connect these insights with wheelchair properties, aspects often overlooked in assistive device literature. However, redesign effectiveness also hinges on understanding social factors like stereotypes, and wheelchair-related metaphors.