Ripchair Provides Full Independence To Wheelchair Users So They Could Enjoy The Outdoors Again

When summer comes, the first thing we think of is the great outdoors! Some like to hike, swim, bike whereas others like to go fishing or hunting (which can be done in winters too!). However, it may not be very easy for those who are on a wheelchair. Navigating the rugged terrain in some locations may be very challenging for a wheelchair with all sorts of rocks of varying sizes, uneven terrain, hills, rivers, mud and so many other elements that can make maneuvering extremely difficult.

To overcome all these obstacles and to give wheelchair users the independence and confidence to  venture out and participate in their favorite outdoor activity and sport , Howe and Howe Tech, a small business run by two brothers out of Waterboro, ME have invented the Ripchair. Currently at version 3.0, Ripchair is an "extreme"  vehicle that has a ramp and an area big enough for a wheelchair (and its occupants) to fit in. The ramp helps the user back into the Ripchair where they get locked in and secured. Customized left or right electronic control, cup holders, lighting and other add-ons for recreational pleasure. With all the controls, accessories and add-ons, the user has full comfort and control of the vehicle that provides them great maneuverability and sturdiness. Whether it's the riverside they want to go to or on top of a mountain, Ripchair will get them there!

Ripchair 3.0 specifications

Watch the following videos to see what all Ripchair can do and where all it can take you. 

To know more about Ripchair, visit their website. Unfortunately, there is no pricing information available anywhere on the website but the order form on the website suggests that 60% of the total price is due upfront.

Source: Legendary Speed [Thanks for sharing, Teresa!]

Image Source: TrackChairExtreme

Website: TrackChairExtreme

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Assistive Technology Gadgets That Could Change Your Life [Infographic]

Are you or someone you know an Occupational Therapist and/or take care of someone with special needs? Michael Leavy at Home Healthcare Adaptations, a family run company has created this helpful infographic that shows some really useful assistive technology devices that can make life convenient for a lot of people. 

An electric car that people in wheelchairs maneuver  without getting off and folding the wheelchair separately? A gadget that translates head movements into computer mouse movements? Alarm clocks for the deaf? Bookmark this handy infographic for quick reference to some really cool assistive technology gadgets. (click to enlarge)

Click to enlarge

Source: Michael Leavy

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Parrot Speak To Call: Hands Free Phone Software

As we saw in the last post, spinal cord injuries or paralysis can render arms unusable. Anyone with not so good motor skills also have difficulty using their fingers and hands to perform daily operations, thus making them depend on others around them to get things done. One of those things can be getting help to make and receive phone calls - a process that seems fairly simple, but without the use of arms, can be quite a bit of a challenge. It is quite possible that someone may not be around all the time, and waiting for a friend or caregiver to come check in on them may be the only option for quite many people.

To alleviate this problem, Parrot "Speak to Call" provides a very convenient solution. A software that runs on Windows PC along with Dragon Naturally Speaking and Microsoft Speech (comes with Windows), Parrot helps make and receive phone calls by just using speech. The interface is very simple and minimal with just the essential options displayed. The software comes with a few "lists" of its own (Family, Friends, Professionals & Businesses and Work), to which you can add contact information and their phone numbers. Of course, it gives you the ability to add more lists too if the four it comes with are not enough. With just one word commands, Parrot can make making and receiving phone calls a breeze. Check out the quick videos below to see Parrot "Speak to Call" in action.

Set up is very simple (make sure you know how to enable your speech recognition software). The best part is that you don't require a phone line or need to hook it up to your existing phone line. It works on its own and does not depend on any other hardware accessories (except the USB headset you will be using to make calls) which typically complicate set up and use, and make things difficult to fix if they break. When you sign up, they give you a phone number as well.

A very good solution for people who don't have good motor skills or cannot use their arms because of paralysis or other spinal cord injuries. This software can also be used by bedridden people or  those who cannot move a lot because of sickness or old age to call their caregiver to let them know if they need anything.

Signing up requires a one time fee of $99 and a monthly $39 fee for unlimited calling within USA and Canada (month to month; no contract). $10 from each sale also goes to charity!

Go to Parrot's website to learn more about this product.

Website: www.speaktocall.com

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Neurobridge: Technology That Helps Paralyzed People Move Limbs With Their Thought

Spinal cord injuries/ paralysis are fatal because they cut off communication between the brain and limbs - damaged nerves are unable to transfer signals from the brain to limbs, thus rendering them unusable. However, just recently, a team of scientists from Ohio State University and Battelle partnered together to use a breakthrough technology called Neurobridge (created by Battelle) that helps quadriplegics move their limbs with just their thought!

As mentioned earlier, nerves are crucial for limb movement, and fatal accidents that cause injuries to the

spine and damage nerves drastically impact limb movement. This is where Neurobridge comes to rescue. A little chip (smaller than a pea) is implanted in the part of the brain that controls arm and hand movements. This chip reads and interprets brain signals, sends them to a computer that recodes and sends them to a sleeve that the patient is wearing, and simulates the proper muscles, thus allowing them to move the desired limb. It takes a total of one tenth of a second from thought to limb movement. So essentially, it totally bypasses the (damaged) nerves responsible for transmitting signals from the brain to the limb and sends them directly to the muscles instead.

Watch this video to see Ivan Burkhart, a 23 year old quadriplegic who was paralyzed after a diving accident move his arm by using Neurobridge.

This is still a clinical study (FDA approved) that is working with five patients. Currently, the study is focussing on arms and hands, but the possibilities in the future are endless. To begin with, brushing their teeth, flossing, using their own hands to eat with a spoon or fork etc. can be a huge boost to a paralyzed person's morale and confidence.

What the scientists have achieved so far is a big step forward, and they are only going to continue to make such advancements in the future. 

Watch the video to learn more about paralysis and how this technology works. Hit the source links for more details.

Source: OSU (1), OSU (2), Battelle via Engadget

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Students Create Reactive Suit That Shows Paraplegic Athletes When They Are Injured

The one thing athletes who have disabilities struggle with is assessing the severity of injuries they get while playing sports. It becomes especially troublesome for people who are paralyzed from waist down and play sports like wheelchair basketball, sit ski, motor racing and several others where they come in contact with other players or objects, resulting in physical trauma or internal injuries. Internal injuries often don't give any visible warning, and if the athlete cannot feel impact or pain because of paralysis, they may not even know that they are injured. This can be dangerous since they can bleed to death or have some other serious life threatening consequences if they don't treat their injury during or right after the game.

To combat this problem, a team of students at Imperial College in London has designed a reactive prototype suit that will enable people paralyzed from the waist down to identify physical impact/injuries immediately and assess how serious those injuries are. The trousers consists of pockets in different areas that have a removable strip of pressure reactive film. Whenever impact occurs to the area where the strip has been placed, it registers impact in the form of a magenta stain. Higher the impact, higher is the color intensity of the stain. This does two things - first of all, it notifies the athlete immediately that they have had an injury, and second, the pattern and color intensity can help experts analyze what type of injury the athlete has. (Different type of injuries have different patterns/bloom on the strip)

At the end of the day, this suit gives peace of mind to the athletes, trainers and support staff.

Pockets located on each bone (click to enlarge)

Description of how the pressure sensitive film works (click to enlarge)

Watch this video to see what it takes to create the suit, and the testing process it goes through.

Source: Imperial College London via Wired UK, Engadget

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