The invention relates to an actuating device for manually actuating driving and steering means for a wheeled power driven object or vehicle. Such an actuating device is especially sui table for manually actuating a drive system for a patient transport device. Said actuating device comprises a substantially rigid center shaft which is arranged for rigid attachment to said object or vehicle, a series of pressure sensors which are arranged on an outer surface of said center shaft and are distributed over a circumferential area of said center shaft, an elastically deformable sleeve which is arranged substantially around said center shaft and said series of pressure sensors, and a substantially rigid cylinder which is arranged around said elastically deformable sleeve, wherein the elastically deformable sleeve is arranged in contact with the outer surface of the center shaft and with an inner surface of the cylinder.
