Wheelchairs are a blessing and provide independence to their owners. It is designed according to the terrains in which they are used. It also depends on the needs of users. These designs are changed from time to time. But most of the time, users cannot afford advanced wheelchairs. Designers are working on ways to solve this problem. They are taking hints from bikes and robotics to make well-adapted wheelchairs.
The UNAwheel Maxi device can be an answer for some of those problems. It functions as a wheelchair add-on. It can be attached to a normal wheelchair and will not add any extra weight to the existing wheelchair setup. The add-on has control buttons for turning, acceleration, and deceleration.
The device has a steering section and the main body. The former is made of metal and plastic while, the latter is of plastic. It can be easily operated and is easy to attach and detach from the wheelchair. It runs on a battery that offers 30 kilometers range upon a single charge. The battery is rechargeable. It can also be accelerated up to 20 kilometers an hour. This makes it a better option for use in uneven terrain and uphill commutes. The device will be a boon to people who find it difficult to manage basic wheelchairs on their own.
The startup Revolve Air had recently introduced a wheelchair that can be certified as carry-on luggage by airlines. This is to avoid situations where wheelchairs can be damaged when it kept with luggage on a flight. It can be folded to one-third of its normal size and avoids the need to be checked in with luggage. The company expects to launch it by the year 2022.
In order to launch an accessible mobility platform for people with disabilities, Bird partnered with Scootaround to launch a pilot version of its first accessible mobility program. The Bird app will provide people three different accessible vehicle types to choose from. This program will help wheelchair users in the long run for inclusiveness in mobility.
