Electric Wheelchair Future Technology

As we follow the technological advancements in field of assistive devices for the last five years, we are shocked by products on the market now and 5 years ago. Although we covered many news technology announcements, scientific breakthrougs and wrote about prototype products that are coming to market in 1-2 years, this still did not happen.

We can not disagree with Merlexi Craft people (manufacturer of plastic wheelchairs in the USA) in comment here when they say that most concept wheelchairs never make it to market even if they receive National Institute of Health funding. Major obstacle on the road to new products is extensive testing and govt regulations regarding to Medicare/caid. While smaller outfits and innovators have always had trouble finding funding; it now looks that bureaucratic/paperwork obstacles are even harder to break, not to mention that you need experienced people/lawyers just to navigate thru all the regulations and updates of updates on regulations…

Therefore public expects new products from big players, same companies that are on the bleeding development edge in various sectors (robotics, automobilism, autonomous home assistance devices) like Toyota, Honda. But even here – where are the Toyota i-Real? The Toyota i-Swing? The Honda Personal Mobility Device U3-X and Honda’s Robotic Leg or CLEG? Where is the powered ExoSkeleton? Where is the mind controlled electric wheelchairs controller? Where are stem cell powered engines/hybrid batteries? Where and when?

So for the near term we are not optimistic about the development of the assistive technology market and products. Way from lab and prototype to market is too long, too steep and too expensive!

NOTE: few words about Merlexi Craft – they are manufacturers of plastic manual wheelchairs, that are cheap (sub $1000) and light. They are made from lightweight plastic, have folding contoured seats, come in various colors and offer quick-release wheels/footrests… Special versions are available for hospitals – and such wheelchair is appropriate for magnetic imaging, is safe, durable and shellock approved… If would be nice to see if company can fit an electric motor on top of the plastic frame and create economically feasible electric wheelchairs for mass market… See introductory video below:

Electric powered wheelchairs are the only way of movement for too many disabled users. But motorized wheelchairs never really changed much from classical wheelchair design and concept – which is more than 100 years old.. Because of this, they are often also very expensive, and inaccessible to many, especially in developing countries.

But new concept designed by s Ju Hyun Lee, gives hope to change all that. Their proposal for solution is named NEWS (New Electric Wheelchairs) and is still in concept phase.

The main idea and technological breakthrough is that this is not selfstanding electric powered wheelchair, but rather an motorized wheelchair addon for existing manual wheelchairs. So it actually does not want to replace your existing electric wheelchair; rather it is attached to the standard wheelchair. NEWS gives instant electric motorized power to wheelchair.

Also the design of the concept is clean, well-thought and robust. It bring the design of 21st century to assistive devices. If NEWS concept becomes a reality, it will definitely change the industry.

Price wise not much is know, but it should not be expensive – meaning that once mass productions starts, we should see it at very competitive price point, which will make electric wheelchairs available to broader masses of people in need… Meaning it should be perfect for end users and also hospitals,therapy centers and nursing homes…

Honda announced the personal mobility device, the U3-X. Device looks like robotic unicycle, and is designed to help people with disabilities to move around. Honda will showcase U3-X personal mobility device at Tokyo Motor show later in October.

U3-X is based on technology developed in Honda’s humanoid robot Asimo. Honda is well known for its R&D in robotics and assistive technology, and although its announcements are many (see the one about artificial robotic leg) most of this is still years away from production and sale. Looks like Honda is competing heavily against local rival Toyota, which is also aggressive on robotics and research – and both move in similar direction (toyota shows segway personal transporter with seat, toyota and mind controlled wheelchair, toyota i-swing personal mobility device)…

Anyhow, U3-X is on contrary with Toyota’s i-Swing a small device, which is also very portable. It can be carried around and put in trunk with ease. U3-X has a seat height a bit higher than an average person’s waist line, so passenger must “jump” on it to commence the ride. Passenger then puts his his feet to the foot rests (similar as found on motor bikes). The rest is already known from segway – passenger leans in the direction he wants to go, and U3-X personal mobility device moves. It can drive in 8 directions (cross and diagonally as well) and reaches a top speed of 3,7 MHP (5,5 km/h) – meaning that it moves at pace of average persons walk.

Honda’s chairman Takanobu Ito commented that “And if my legs get a little weak, I would like to have one of these around the house. It makes it easy to move about.”. We guess he has a big house… Honda did not want to comment on price and availability of the U3-X nor any plans to produce similar versions of power wheel chair or electric wheel chair devices like toyota i-swing where user sits and leans back on it…

See link to video on the next page.

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Today experts from Veda International Robot Research and Development Centre in Japan, unvieled the prototype of a new type of electric wheelchair. New, high tech robotic wheelchair looks more like a scooter than traditional wheelchair, but it promises greater mobility for injured hospitalized patients, and hopes to replace not only existing wheelchairs but also two-wheeled vehicles of future.

New electric wheelchair is called Rodem. User sits on the four-wheeled wheelchair similar like on scooter. User rests his knees and chest on the cushions, steering the wheelchair with a joystick wile holding on to motorbike-style handles. The result is that user feels less load on their body.  

The whole new approach to electric wheelchair design allows users to mount the device more easily, and dismount it quickly and with less strain and pain as well. Target audience are elderly, hospitalized for smaller injuries which prevent them from freely moving around without help. Rodem is lessening reliance on care-givers to lift these patients.

Rodem promises greater mobility. Its prototype was demonstrated in the medical university in Tokyo. The two main wheels of the Rodem are independently driven by a control valve type lead battery. Autonomy of the electric wheelchair is around four hours per charge. Maximum moving speed is 6km/h, but can be set to lower limits as well. The dimensions of the Rodem are equivalent to the size of a normal wheelchair, and it weights about 200 lbs (100kg). It also features small minimum turning diameter.

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Devices controlled with brain-waves are becoming a reality. On Monday, June 29th 2009, Toyota demonstrated an electric wheelchair, controlled by user’s brain waves. Approach is similar to other stories we covered in past (Live demo of mind-controlled electric wheelchair, Brain Controlled Electric Wheelchair and Mind Controlled Mouse Pointer (part 1), Brain Controlled Electric Wheelchair and Mind Computer Mouse Pointer (part 3 + The conclusion), Intelligent Autonomous Remote Controlled Electric Wheelchair).

User still needs to attach sensor grid on the head. The EEG sensor cap  measures electrical activity in the brain through five electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes. These are placed above the areas of the brain which handle motor movement. The sensors interpret the signals they pick up and translate them into motion.   System processes thought patterns without learning or training and translates them into movement of wheelchair. Electric wheelchair can accordingly move left, right or forward. Sensory system is processing data in real time, so delay between the thought and action of wheelchair is less than 125 ms. Competitive solutions require substantially more time – growing to seconds, which makes movement less natural and more difficult. Toyota’s solution (well, actually Toyota is only a sponsor of researchers from BSI-Toyota collaboration center) does not require the driver to learn special “signals”, but instead this mind-controlled electrical wheelchair will move forward when driver thinks of walking. According to Toyota the wheelchair is able to understand a record 95% of all commands coming from the drivers.

Toyota representatives described growing demand on similar accessibility products by Japan’s growing older population (in 40 years the percentage of seniors will account for more than 40% of Japanese population). Thinking is natural, and requires less learning so  brain-machine interface system will be more robust and simpler than voice-controlled system. System even “learns” by analyzing the behavior of the driver, which means that driver can improve the accuracy over time.

Japan has been always very strong in advanced robotics, and recent encourage by government fueled new research and development even further. It comes as no surprise, that other Japanese companies like Honda and Hitachi, are also working on brain-wave-machine technologies.

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Israeli students developed a simple voice controlled electric wheelchair, and posted a video that confirms its operation. They used cheap commercially available parts like hm2007 speech recognition kit and EMIC text-to-speech module. This module vocally speaks out warnings to the man on the chair.

Their initial plan was to use a cheap laptop (like Asus EEE Pc) for the speech recognition, as this would allow future upgradebility (such as a rear and side view camera, audio warning, and easier programming of the control logic) and improvement to the speech recognition software.

The cost comparison would hold, as the price difference between EEE Pc and hm2007 is small, and would not mean a big difference within price of electric wheelchair itself. Also the higher power drain should be small, compared with the wheelchair’s drain.

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Image via WikipediaTankchair LLC recently announced their 2008 model/remake of the original TankChair (from 2006)… The new and improved model, named Mk2 is electric wheelchair that was developed with mud, snow, streams, sand/gravel and other outdoor terrain in mind, allowing the user to get back to nature, or conquer home environment – including climbing up and down the stairs…

Similar than all-terrain electric wheelchair we previously wrote about 2008 model has lower center of gravity, more torque, stronger chassis, and improved incline and decline approach angles. It has rubberized tracks instead of standard wheels and looks more like a miniature tank than any of electric wheelchair cousins. It also has a full-height chair with abundant cushioning for added comfort to smoothen a bumpy ride. Electric wheelchair is using rubber tracks and high torque electric motors, and manufacturer guarantees that it will take you just about anywhere. Even the urban street and stairs, with a incline accent of up to 45-degrees!!

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According to this page, Japan company is developing an electric wheelchair with integrated toilet functions. Development is at stage of creating a feasibility study, but the ultimate objective is to develop an "electric wheelchair with toilet functions," a piece of welfare support equipment ideal for handicapped. Whole concept is rarely found in existing welfare equipment today, although some of the models are available on the market… Majority of users rely on automation and accessories – elevators etc, to help them move from wheelchair to toilet and back.

Product is designed to help maintain the self-respect of elderly or disabled people, and since world turns around money, it is worth noting that elderly population is increasing, and that baby-boom generation is projected to enter "need for assisted living" phase in 10-20 years. The wheelchair will be designed for elderly or disabled persons who are unable to move from their wheelchairs to toilet seats by raising their bodies with their own arm strength, and who cannot be attended to by caregivers regularly.

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Small Indian company Ostrich Mobility based in Bangalore, might be the rising star in field of affordable electric wheelchairs. Company entered field of powered wheelchairs back in 2003, when first prototypes for indoor use were developed. In 2004 company launched two outdoor electric wheelchairs, Model 1 and Verve. Production was done in cooperation with SSS Industries. In 2005 company introduced first models with joystick and touch-pad, and in 2006 sophisticated electric wheelchairs for adults and children were put to market (models V100 and V40). In 2007 company introduced first ever electric wheelchair with split frame chassis that is base for new electric wheelchair – Pristine. 2008 model of Pristine offers top speed of 7 Mph (10 Km/h), and wheelchair's batteries offer drive range of 20 miles (30 km). Price of this electric wheelchair is 2500-2850 USD.

Recently company rounded its offerings under a global brand of E-wheels, where its unique ideas and engineering solutions are combined in what is the most cost effective electric wheelchair on global market. This is a must, as average Indian salary is below 1.000 USD/year. Now split frame design is put in all electric wheelchair offerings from the company. Company currently has production capability of 100 wheelchairs per month.

E-wheels concepts builds on quality manufacturing with emphasis on Safaty, Reliability and Comfort – providing solutions in vibration, speed, slope handling, terrain driving, center of gravity, night driving and summing all in cost effectiveness of final product, which – we are sure – many wheelchair buying guides will recognize. Company revolutionized design of its E-wheels, by implementing its own patented solution – the split frame.

The Split Frame Chassis assures good drive control, better maneuverability, good control capabilities when negotiating slanting and rough road conditions by reducing the side drag, ensures very fine control over the equipment when driving up or down gradient. In conventional chassis electric wheel chairs the wheels lift up when there is a level difference in the ground or floor the wheel chair is running. This can cause loss of control lead to accidents. The split frame chassis makes sure that all the four wheels touches the ground in a level difference up to 100 mm thus giving a better drive control and better maneuverability in tough terrain conditions. This design also helps to drive across inclines with in 15 degrees. The split frame thus reduces risk of accidents for an electric wheel chair. 

Care has been given to safety features to make the equipment ideal for any body. Tires have treads that adds more grip. The seat belt, bucket seat and head rest give the user safety at higher speeds. Special care has been given to avoid sharp edges that can hurt. The greatest safety feature is the invention of split frame chassis that allows all the wheels to be in direct contact with ground in almost all tough road conditions, resulting in improved

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In start of October, a powered wheelchair that moves when user thinks on particular word, was demonstrated by American company Ambient. The electric wheelchair operates by catching the signals sent from

user's brain to their larynx (voice box), even when there is no audiable sound. Wheelchair was developed to help people with spinal injuries, or neurological problems like cerebral palsy or motor neurone disease. This revolutionary brain interface allows user to operate computer and other equipment despite serious problems with muscle control. Similar to autonomous remote controlled electric wheelchair we already wrote about, this system allows user even more freedom, as all user has to do is think of the word. System consists of larynx (voice box), which user must be able to operate – and most likely can, even in the event of poor muscle coordination necessary to produce coherent speech.

This breakthrough voice boy system called larynx control system, or shortly "Audeo", was developed by researchers Michael Callahan and Thomas Coleman at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US, who together also founded Ambient. 

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