A group of researchers at the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan have figured out how to make an off-road wheelchair. They created a robotic wheelchair that can use its wheels as legs, thanks to its four-wheel drive and its two axles.
The wheelchair has built-in sensors that determine how to navigate the surrounding terrain. All the rider needs to do is point the joystick in the direction he wants to go and the wheelchair will figure out how to get there. It’s also kind enough to keep the seat level at all times even when moving on uneven ground. Finally, the wheelchair also has stabilizers that it can use to rotate in place, meaning it can easily turn 180º even in tight spaces.
I foresee a future X-Games division for walking wheelchair tricks.
[via DigInfo.TV via Ubergizmo]
Getting around on a wheelchair is a snap with the right infrastructure in place, but there are moments when local council guidelines for the disabled are not followed, making it inconvenient and downright tricky for one to navigate around. Patrick Hyland, a London-based designer, has come up with what he calls the “Synergise”, a mechanical system that enables wheelchair users to negotiate commonly faced issues such as cambered surfaces. Cambered surfaces tend to affect propulsion as since the wheelchair will naturally veer towards the road through the force of gravity alone, requiring the user to brake on one side while propelling the other, affecting the momentum as well as leading to a higher energy consumption level. In a nutshell, covering a certain distance would make it twice as taxing compared to the energy used by able-bodied people who travel the same distance.
Aside from the fact that it looks totally badass, it’ll also take its riders to places that they never thought they could go to in their chair. It’s described as a custom off-road wheelchair that can ‘conquer streams, mud, snow, sand, and gravel.’ So if you’re a huge nature buff, then you can finally get out and bask in the sunshine once again.
They say a positive attitude helps a lot with the healing process, so maybe this wheelchair is what most people need. At least, the ones who love LEGO, anyway.