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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Reemo: Wearable That Can Automate The Entire House

Al Baker from Playtabase

In recent years, we have seen a ton of wearables that do a lot of things - track physical activities/calories burned, display email/text/phone notifications, monitor how well one sleeps at night, steps walked, workouts done, and several other activities. Typically, these wearables are worn on the hand and they don't necessarily interact with other objects in the environment - with current wearables, you cannot open or close doors, turn on or off the lights. They just interact with you (the wearer) and your phone in most cases (phone call, text, email, social media notifications).

Playtabase, a company in Minneapolis, MN co-founded by Al Baker, is working hard to take wearables to the next level - a level that will make interaction with every object in the house or office a breeze. This will be especially incredible for people with disabilities.

Reemo - What is it?

Reemo, just like several other wearables, is worn on the wrist. However, the purpose is to not just track your physical activities. Reemo works in combination with a wireless receiver and smart plug. A device or object like a coffeemaker, stereo, lock, light, door, window blinds or almost anything around the house can be connected to the receiver and operated by Reemo by simply gesturing towards it. For example, you don't have to walk up to the switch to turn it on or off or to adjust the thermostat. No need to walk up to the door to keep opening and closing it as more and more guests come in. Lights, security systems, entertainment systems, fireplace int the house - you name it, Reemo can operate it. All one has to do is wear Reemo and use one of the six gestures that can be assigned to Reemo, and Reemo performs the desired operation for them.

Reemo & Assistive Technology

Picture this - a person is in a wheelchair. They may be an amputee, have mobility issues, have had a
stroke recently and were paralyzed. Moving around in the house and operating different devices may be a struggle or in some cases not really possible. For such a person, just being in their bed or wheelchair and to be able to adjust their thermostat, start the fireplace, turn on the security system, and turn blinds up and down by just pointing and gesturing will bring great convenience. Similarly, a blind person gesturing towards their coffee machine to get a freshly brewed cup of coffee or turning on their music system without approaching it and looking for buttons will be tremendously convenient as well.

Al sees Reemo in the assistive technology/care realm as a complimentary device. Currently, there are around 10 - 11 million homes that are "smart" as compared to a total of 135 million homes in the US. He also says that homeowners and caregivers at various facilities have started looking at smart technology but they want solutions that are better than what a phone app offers to really control everything. That's where Reemo fits in nicely.

There are currently 110 developers that are developing applications for Reemo whether as an assistive technology device or something really cool because after all, Reemo is not just a technology for people with disabilities - it's a technology for anyone, including lazy people!

Listen to Al talking about Reemo and assistive technology below:

Reemo Demo

Al was kind enough to give me a demo of how Reemo works. The scenario in this video is that of a person who is going to bed and wants to turn off the light(s) and turn on the lock on the door (both at the same time). This demonstrates that with one gesture, multiple objects/devices can be operated. Al also shows how, with a different gesture, just one of the multiple objects in the setup can be operated as well.

Note: I will add captions to the video soon!

Now that you have seen the demo, watch the following video too to get an idea of what all you can use Reemo for:

Reemo For life from John Valiton on Vimeo.

Inspiration Behind Reemo

Reemo came into existence for two reasons - one, to do cool things, and two, because Playtabase's cofounder Muhammad's father suffered two strokes that left half of his body disabled. The idea was to give him a "universal remote" that he wouldn't drop and it would just consist of a wave of a hand. They wouldn't have to pay anyone so much to look after him because not only would it make him more independent but also make him feel emotionally better.  During the same time, the emergence of smart homes and wearables also encouraged Al and Muhammad to create a solution that will work on all smart watches and wouldn't be proprietary. 

Hear Al talk more about the inspiration behind Reemo:

Reemo - The Product

In the next month and a half, Reemo will be shipped to its alpha and beta users. It will be available to consumers sometime during summer of this year. The consumer kit can also be pre-ordered on Reemo's website for $249 (and $299 for a developer kit).

To know more about all the great progress Reemo's making and to get the latest news, sign up on for their mailing list.

Playtabase

Playtabase has been around for two and half years and Reemo for around two. Playtabase has aspirations to create products that are both engaging and fun to use but are also meaningful and have a lot of depth.



Website: www.getreemo.com

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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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Cyabathlon: Sporting Event For People With Disabilities

There is a lot going on in the assistive technology world - newer and exciting advancements are happening all the time. However, the purpose of assistive technology is not just to provide suitable accommodations and make life easier for people with disabilities but also to take things to the next level - make them competitive; help them become true sportsmen.

To bring that philosophy to reality, Cybathlon, a championship for people with disabilities, will take place in Zurich on 8 October 2016. The event is open to everyone who wear prosthetic limbs; use exoskeletons, powered wheelchairs or brain interfaces. The people competing can either use commercially available products or prototypes made by individuals or research labs. There would be two medals for each event - one for the "pilot" (the person driving or using the device) and the other for the manufacturer of said device.



 Pilots will be participating in the following disciplines:

• Arm Prosthetic Race: Amputees wearing prosthetic upper arm limbs will be required to complete two hand tasks as quickly as possible.
• Brain Computer Interface Race: Pilots will wear a brain interface that will be used to control their avatar in a horse race or car race game.
• FES Bike Race: Pilots with complete spinal cord injuries will be given Functional Electrical Simulation devices which will enable them to pedal on a circular track.
• Leg Prosthetics Race: Pilots with lower limb prosthetics will be competing in a race with tasks and hurdles.
• Powered Exoskeleton Race: Pilots wearing exoskeleton will be walking in a circuit with various tasks, elements and hurdles.
• Powered Wheelchair Race: Similar to the Exoskeleton Race, pilots who are on powered wheelchair will be steering their wheelchairs along a particular course with various obstacles.

As an example, here is what the Leg Prosthetic Race circuit looks like (click to enlarge):

The Cybathlon is not just for promoting competitiveness among people with disabilities - there are some very noble aspirations attached to it. First and foremost, to keep encouraging companies and research labs to produce cutting edge assistive technology devices. Second, to make the common public aware of all the challenges and opportunities that assistive technology provides, and last, but not the least, to enable pilots to compete in various races!

This is a unique way to bring excitement into the assistive technology world and to everyone involved in this area. Keep an eye on this event. I will post again about Cybathlon as more information becomes available!

Website: Cybathlon

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WHILL Type-A Four Wheel Drive Stylish Wheelchair!

Assistive technology products and concepts are always appreciated for their functionality and not necessarily their aesthetics, because traditionally, the focus has never been on how a product looks. The only criteria, really, for an accessibility related product to succeed is that it does its job well.

But why not take things a step further and make them look pleasing as well? What's wrong with making an accessibility product aesthetically pleasant and beautiful? In this age of minimalism and sleek designs, why not give "the looks" of a product some love and affection as well?

We already know that the WHILL Type-A brings technology and modern design together. The company that is combining sleekness, robustness and speed in the form of a personal mobility device has more exciting news for everyone!

The award winning team behind the WHILL Type-A comprises of talented people who've worked at Nissan, Sony, Olympus in the past, will be selling 50 units in California this summer and all over the US in the winter. Pre-order is available for an initial deposit of $500. The purchase price for this product is $9,500 which does not include shipping etc. I am hoping that insurance companies would be able to fund the purchase of this wheelchair for those who really need it.

WHILL Type-A can handle any kind of terrain without showing any signs of stress, thanks to its four wheel drive.

Did I say even snow?

Another big hurdle WHILL Type A helps the user tackle is going up steep slope. Who says four wheel drives are only for cars and big SUVs?

Talking about cars and SUVs, the WHILL Type-A is so compact that you can fit two in a car!

Want to see all the features of WHILL Type-A? Go here.

If you are a AT professional who work with clients in wheelchairs and go to exhibitions and events to check out the newest products, WHILL will be at the following events this year if you want to check them out:

- Abilities Expo LA

February 28th - March 2nd

Los Angeles Convention Center - West Hall A

1201 South Figueroa Street Los Angeles, CA 90015

http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/losangeles/

- Test Drive Event at Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco

March 5th, 11am-3pm

Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco

649 Mission St, 3rd Floor San Francisco, CA 94105

https://www.facebook.com/events/581770515248363/

- San Diego Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference

March 19th - March 21st

Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel

One Market Place San Diego, CA 92101

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2014/sessions/

WHILL Website: whill.jp
WHILL on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamWHILL

 Follow @ATBlog2

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PointGrab: Control Household Appliances And Electronic Devices With Point And Gesture Control

We have been seeing a lot of devices that are touch and gesture enabled that can be very helpful for people with various disabilities (motor skills, spinal injuries, quadriplegics). However, all the devices that we have seen so far work with computers.

That is soon going to change.

A Tel Aviv based company, PointGrab, is working on bringing to the masses a couple of concepts that use motion and gesture controls not just with computers but also with household appliances! The technology works by creating a "transparent space" in front of the user, enabling a touch interface but from a distance. The user has to be pointing their eyes and a finger at the device and perform a gesture to get the desired action. For example, pointing a finger at a lamp will turn it on, and moving it in a downward motion will dim the lamp. Similar gestures can be used to control any device in the house - air conditioners, window shades, thermostats, doors, etc. PointSwitch is the concept that works with appliances, and AirTouch works with computers, televisions, and other consumer devices.

The company suggests that we should start seeing these technologies in consumer products as soon as early 2014.

Watch the following two videos to see how PointSwitch and AirTouch work.

Source: Engadget
Image Source: Engadget

Website: PointGrab

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Tongue Driving System: Tongue Controlled Wheelchair For Quadriplegics

Professor Maysam Ghovanloo at Georgia Tech has been working hard since 2005 on a system that lets a user control their wheelchair with their tongue. Tongue! His research has borne fruit, and the results are pretty incredible.

This system is most beneficial for people who have high level spinal cord injuries or are quadriplegic.

This is how it works: The user has a magnet placed inside their tongue in the form of a piercing. The

user also wears a headset which actually detects the location of the magnet as the tongue moves. The location is grabbed and wirelessly communicated to an app installed on the user's phone which in turn sends it to the wheelchair and the command is finally executed.

This method is found to be three times faster than the traditional sip and puff method.  Not only can it be used to just maneuver a wheelchair, but to play video games and use computers or phones too. 11 volunteers helped with the testing and it was found that their performance significantly improved between training session one and two, suggesting how easy it is to use.

The idea behind the study was not just to see how accurate and fast TDS (Tongue Driving System) is but also to prove to insurance companies that tongue control is indeed useful.

The next step in this research is to enhance the TDS by getting rid of the headset.

Watch this video to learn more about what professor Ghovanloo has to say about TDS.

Go here if you are interested in reading the published paper.

Source: The Verge

Image sources: Examiner, Georgia Tech Research News

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Morph Wheels: Wheels That Fit In A Bag

We saw last month the state of the art WHILL Type A wheelchair that has so much to offer than just style and elegance. However, for people who use wheelchairs fairly regularly and travel quite a bit, wheelchairs can be something that are not easy to deal with. Extra arrangements have to be made while making travel plans, and more often than not, a traveling companion's help is required to get in and out of the car/taxi, store the wheelchair properly, get in and out of the plane, etc.

This is where Morph Wheels come to the rescue! Morph Wheels are the first ever foldable wheels for wheelchairs that make moving around and traveling a whole lot easier. These wheels fold to almost half their size and can be easily stored in a bag which ultimately makes moving in and out of cars, taxis, planes a breeze. If you are in a car, these wheels are just another piece of luggage, which makes room for all the other luggage you are carrying with you, and also does not require a bigger car to accommodate the wheelchair. In planes, Morph Wheels can be easily tucked into the overhead compartment.

The wheels come with a fail safe feature too - in order to fold the wheels, the quick release axle needs to be inserted through the hub of the wheel, thus ensuring complete safety of the user. Once folded, the tire on the wheel can be easily replaced without the need of special tools too.

These wheels are priced at $950 and can be ordered directly from their website.

Watch this video to see how Morph Wheels work and what users have to say about them.



Just yesterday, Maddak, the company that makes Morph Wheels was awarded the 2013 Popular Science Best of What's New award in the Health category. Maddak was chosen from a pool of thousands who apply for this award. To read more about the award, Morph Wheels, and Maddak, proceed to read the full press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Morph� Wheels Wins 2013 Popular Science Best of What�s New Award in Health
First-Ever Foldable Wheelchair Wheel Enhances Mobility for Disabled

Maddak, Inc. today announced Morph� Wheels, the first-ever foldable wheelchair wheels, received the 2013 Popular Science Best of What's New award in the Health category. The awards were announced in the December issue of the magazine on newsstands November 12th. Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and chooses the top 100 winners across 12 categories for inclusion. Morph� Wheels were chosen for their significant innovation and advancement of wheelchair functionality.

�We�re honored to receive such a prestigious award from Popular Science,� said Kathleen Hanek, Director of Operations and Product Management at Maddak, Inc.  �Morph� Wheels were created in true collaboration with the wheelchair user community and we�re proud to have developed a product that addresses a real need.�

Morph� Wheels transform the daily lives of wheelchair users by increasing their mobility and freedom. They fit all manual wheelchairs that accommodate a wheel with a quick release axle and will not fold as long as the release axle is inserted through the wheel hub. When folded, the compact size makes them particularly convenient for travel. For instance, they can fit into the overhead bin of an airplane, reducing the potential for damage. It also increases accessibility to car travel as the wheels can fit into cars of any size including small compact cars and taxis. For more information visit Morph� Wheels and www.morphwheels.com.

�The Best of What's New Awards is our magazine's top honor, and the 100 awardees are selected from a pool of thousands. Each winner is handpicked and revolutionary in its own way. Whether they're poised to change the world or simply your living room, the Best of What's New awardees challenge us to the see the future in a new light," said Cliff Ransom, Executive Editor of Popular Science.

About Maddak

Maddak Inc. manufactures products that simplify the tasks of daily living - eating, drinking, dressing, grooming, bathing, toileting - for seniors, people with disabilities and people undergoing rehabilitation. The company mission is to provide quality products that enable people to maximize their independence and remain active despite any limitations they may face. Marketed under the Ableware� brand name, the Maddak product line includes over 500 products sold through medical and hospital supply centers, pharmacies, homecare centers and internet outlets. Established in 1971, Maddak Inc., headquartered in Wayne, NJ is the largest U.S. manufacturer of assistive devices, clinical modalities and home healthcare and rehabilitation products.

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WHILL Type-A: State Of The Art Wheelchair That Offers Style And Comfort

The most modern wheelchair to date, the WHILL Type-A is available for pre order in the US.

Is it modern just because it is so stylish? Well, yes, but there's a lot more than style this wheelchair offers. 

To start off, this wheelchair does not force the user to sit in an upright inactive posture unlike traditional wheelchairs - it allows them to lean forward a bit, just like riding a bicycle. The small and compact wheelchair (measures only 23.6 inches wide x 32.5 inches long) has all-around wheels which allows it to rotate on the spot. The wheels are robust and large enough to avoid getting stuck in cracks or bumps on roads/ sidewalks. The four wheel drive ensures that it can achieve high power and can handle any kind of terrain (think concrete, grass, dirt, gravel roads).

The WHILL Type-A wheelchair is available for pre order on its website and the delivery is scheduled for early next year. There is no mention of pricing anywhere on the website.

WHILL will be exhibiting at the  Ability Expo San Jose from November 22 - 24 this year (Booth 514). 

Hit the source link to read more!

Source: WHILL via Gizmodo

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Surgery Helps Paralysis Patients Walk Again

Dr. Justin Brown, a neurosurgeon in San Diego, is helping patients suffering from paralysis walk again!

Most recently, he helped Rick Constantine, 58, who, following a car crash had a brain stem stroke which resulted in paralysis of the right side of the body. He was told that he would never be able to walk again. He tried physical therapy but that gave him unsubstantial benefits.

The surgery that Dr. Brown performed on Rick is called a selective peripheral neurotomy and is done under a microscope. Essentially, this surgery trims the troublesome nerve branch by up to 80 percent, thus reducing the amount of "noise" being sent back to the spinal cord. The noise is what causes the spasticity.

Rehabilitation can begin 72 hours after the procedure. Rick was walking without a walker two weeks after the procedure and even finished a 1 mile race without any assistance.

Watch the video to see what Dr. Brown's patients are saying about their experiences. Dr. Brown also explains the surgery in great technical detail.

Anyone requiring more information about this surgery should call 858-657-7000.

Source: UC San Diego Health System, Science Daily via Bill Shackleton

#SD Man walks again after surgery to reverse muscle paralysis ow.ly/2v9Ni1
� Bill Shackleton (@CRPDisabilities) February 28, 2013

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Mobi-Chair: Wheelchair For The Beach!

 

 

How often do people in wheelchairs get to go to the beach and play in the water?

Deschamps, a New Jersey based family owned business, has created the Mobi-Chair, a high quality beach chair that provides people bound to wheelchair an easier way to access and navigate across the beach. The arm rests and wheels are made of floating materials that enable the chair to fully float in water.

The Mobi-Chair can be assembled or disassembled in 5 - 10 minutes without the use of any tools, and can easily fit into the back of the trunk of a vehicle. The aluminum frame and other materials are corrosion free and the fabric used for the chair is non allergenic, UV resistant, and ventilated for quick drying.

The Mobi-Chair may not necessarily be inexpensive as it will set you back by $2139. I could not find any information on whether insurance companies would cover costs for the chair or not.

See the video to see Mobi-Chair in action, and check out the website for more information!

Source: Disabled-World via Barrier Break

Website: Mobi-chair.com

RT @disabledworld: Mobichair Floating Beach #Wheelchair - #Disability #Videos - Disabled World shar.es/4yFeL #a11y
� Barrierbreak(@Barrierbreak) January 14, 2013

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i-Transport: Wheelchair That Helps People Move And Reach Heights

Scientists at the National Cheng Ku University in Taiwan have designed a wheelchair that not only allows users to maneuver around but also adjust its height so that they could practically stand in order to reach things and/or perform chores and other activities.

i-Transport, which is quite light and has greater mobility (thus helping perform daily chores with ease), comes with its own health monitoring system that monitors blood pressure and breathing condition. People who are in wheelchairs 12 - 18 hours a day, feel the need to recline, move their body position and shift their body pressure, and this wheelchair allows them to do just that. Of course, they also get a sense of pride when they get to stand and do things on their own.

The entire assembly consists of a robotic arm, the electric drive wheels, and a control panel. i-Transport also has a safety mechanism built in - it reads certain physiological signals, converts them to parameters and compares them against data it has in its monitoring system.

There's no news of this wheelchair going into mass production, but we sure hope it does!

Source: NCKU via Engadget

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Controlling A Prosthetic Arm With Thought

Image source: BBC

What we used to see a few years ago in movies is turning into reality. Controlling objects with just your thought? Who would have ever thought?

Jan Scheurmann, a 53 year old quadriplegic who is paralyzed from the neck down, recently managed to control a prosthetic arm with her mind to grasp and move objects with ease.

Two sensors were implanted in her brain that pick up electrical signals from around 200 individual brain cells, which later translate into commands that are used to move the arm and grab objects. The co-ordination, skill and speed she achieved only after 14 weeks of training (she was picking up objects on the second day!!) was almost similar to that of an able bodied person.

Image source: BBC

The next plan is to attach the prosthetic arm to Jen's wheelchair so that she could use it on a daily basis. There have been attempts to give sensation to the prosthetic arm as well so that Jen could feel the sense of touch.

This development is huge for people with spinal cord injuries, amputees, and quadriplegics. We saw something similar earlier this year, and looking at the progress, we should see a lot more action in this area in the coming years!

Hit the source links to read more about this in detail.

Source: BBC, The Lancet via Gizmodo

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Robot Wheelchair That Climbs Steps; Tackles Obstacles

Image source: Diginfo TV

A group at Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan has developed a new concept wheelchair that can climb stairs!

This robot wheelchair, equipped with four wheels, five axes, a joystick, and various sensors moves on regular surface just like any other wheelchair. However, whenever it sees a step, it lifts its legs off the ground and "climbs up" in a walking style. The user just needs to direct the wheelchair using the joystick. The robot has a bunch of sensors on its feet, and that helps it detect obstacles. These sensors are used to detect how big and far the steps are. On uneven surfaces, the robot uses these sensors to make sure the chair remains stable (the intention is to use this robot wheelchair on regular paved surfaces). This robot wheelchair also has the ability to line up its wheels, thus allowing it to make 360 degree turns even in narrow spaces.

As of now, Shuro Nakajima, the scientist leading the group behind this robot wheelchair wants more people to test this wheelchair so that he could get more data to tweak the user experience.

Check out the video to see this amazing robot wheelchair in action!

Source: DigInfo TV

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Hands Free Wheelchair

Image source: Engadget

If you are a technology aficionado, and are curious to know what sort of amazing projects can come out   of a small workshop, then you should totally subscribe to The Ben Heck Show!

In one of his latest episodes, Ben Heck shows how he created a hands free wheelchair for a soon to be father who wanted to take care of his baby while still in his wheelchair.

Watch this video to see how Ben created two additional accessories for Josh's wheelchair - an add-on motor assembly that sits beneath the wheelchair and a joystick (track ball?) like device that sits in the front on the footrest and controls the chair's speed and directionality.

If you want to skip all the technical details, go straight to the "Powering it up" segment on the video's progress bar.

Source: The Ben Heck Show via Engadget

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Mind Controlled Robotic Leg

Image source: Technology Review website

A lot of progress has been made in the world of prosthetics, but we have not seen a whole lot when it comes to mind controlled prosthetic limbs. 

That's going to change soon!

Scientists at Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California recently announced that they have invented a new robotic leg that is controlled by EEG signals (electric impulses generated by our brains) that are fed into a computer. This robotic leg is meant for both able bodied people and people with spinal cord injuries.

One major factor that was given utmost importance during testing was the number of "false starts" this system would (not) generate. Imagine a person with this robotic leg waiting to cross a railway track or a busy road - false starts triggered by the brain's electric impulses would put the robotic leg in motion, making the person to walk (when not required), and ultimately causing a fatal accident. Fortunately, during testing, there were zero false starts observed!

This robotic leg has so far been tested on able bodied subjects, and the next step is to test it on people with spinal cord injuries and incomplete motor skills. Achieving success with the latter group would be a giant leap in this field of research. As of now, the ability to start and stop walking was tested. Future testing would include turning and sitting.

Here's a video that demonstrates this robotic leg on an able bodied person. The subject in this video instructs his legs to start and stop walking for a total of five minutes.

Source: Technology Review via Engadget

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Shower Bay - Portable Shower For Wheelchair Users

Image Source: Shower Bay website

One constant problem that wheelchair users face is the difficulty in maneuvering their wheelchairs in bathrooms to take a shower. This ultimately results in expensive home renovations.

To counter this problem, Russell Simpkins of Forward Day, LLC, and his sister have come up with an extremely innovative product that lets wheelchair users take a shower pretty much anywhere in the house. Shower Bay's design allows for quick assembly in any room of the home, and no tools are required. The unit snaps together, and connects to a standard household faucet. As water enters the unit through a deluxe showerhead, the user can bathe comfortably with or without the assistance of a caregiver. The water is then pumped out of the unit to any nearby household drain. The following image shows Shower Bay assembled in a household bedroom: 

Image source: Shower Bay website

Shower Bay provides a small ramp that allows users to just roll in and out of the shower very easily, thus making the entire process very smooth and safe.

Given the unique safety advantages and the uncompromised showering experience, Shower Bay is the perfect bathing solution for many wheelchair users, including the following:

� Home owners who want to avoid a costly and time-consuming bathroom remodel.

� Renters, who generally cannot modify or remodel their apartment or home.

� Families seeking to avoid the high cost of assisted living facilities and keep their loved ones at home.

� Users whose mobility restricts them to the first floor of a residence (where the home has only a half bath on the first level).

� Families that have a loved one with mobility limitations temporarily stay at their home.

� Individuals who are rehabbing an injury and only need a temporary bathing solution.

� Users planning to change residences, who can move Shower Bay with them to their next home and not worry about remodeling ever again.

Watch the following two videos to see what the Shower Bay experience is like, and how easily it can be installed.

Shower Bay is available for $4200 from its website. There may be financing options available as well.

Website: ShowerBay
Facebook: Shower Bay

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