Electric Wheelchair Future Technology

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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The questions surrounding wheelchair mobility are many and varied.  Where can and can’t a person in a wheelchair go?  What sort and quality of ride should be expected?  How much of an expense will maintenance and repairs be?  How does the quality of certain kinds of wheelchairs match up?  As with any question of this magnitude, you should ask a doctor or other professional to advise you on the specifics of your situation.  Nevertheless, there are a number of general guidelines that you can learn on your own.

A wheelchair is really only as capable as the terrain it is going over.  Think of it as a car.  You may have the nicest Humvee and the best driving skill, but if the road isn’t passable, none of that matters.  This is true of wheelchairs just as it is true of people walking.  So, your wheelchair mobility is more a question of the decisions you make regarding where you take your chair.

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The shape of the Toyota i-swing looks like it is something that we wear and does not give the feeling of something that we drive. This model was first came into prominence in the Auto Show at Tokyo in 2005, and was showed again in perfected form in late 2008. The straight two wheeler model occupies very less space on the crowd filled places like sidewalk, etc. It helps you in gliding at a decent pace and on an even pace to that the partner you are having a conversation with. If you want to increase the speed, you can convert into three wheeled model and can be driven easily on the road. It has an inbuilt AI which helps in learning the habit of ours and the personal preferences making it just as an extension of your own self.

This model of Toyota i-swing will help us never having to walk anywhere else with its multi mode conversion options. Thus with its two-wheeled mode you can use it when you are walking and if you want move faster or drive at the regular speed. It actually gives us a wearable sort of feeling when using it. This would surely become an alternative to car in the very distant future.

The long term work of Toyota on single person travel vehicle has got its shape in the form of Toyota i-swing. This is also the result of their long drawn research that they put in on personal mobility vehicles.

The control of this i-swing is in the form of joysticks, actually with two of them. They maximum speed that this i-swing can achieve is 36 mph. It is tentatively priced at between $7000 to $8000. But what makes this really unsafe is the fact that driving at 36 mph without any protection or airbags. Thus Toyota has to work on this fact before they actually bring this into market.

More info at Toyota.

It always amazes me, how some companies know how to sell their goods. And electric wheelchair – pardon me – powerchair makers are no exception. Take look at this 2 minute Hoveround commercial, and see for yourself – they offer you free video, free test drive and bunch of other free stuff – just to call them. And if you have problems walking around the house or doing work – you most probably qualify for some discount or even have a chance to get this electric wheelchair for free…. BTW – want to know difference between electric wheelchair and powerchair? Click here.

If you have this powerchair, or know someone who has – please let us know, we are interested for a review.

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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