Tag Archives: wheelchair

Wooden wheelchair adds an eco-friendly and aesthetic aspect to a mobility aid

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There are a lot of well-designed wheelchairs currently in the market for those who need mobility aids to get around. Most of them use basically the same materials and will have a few differences in terms of features and functionality. A new wheelchair design that is eco-conscious but also aesthetically appealing was recently unveiled and its first beneficiary is one of the most famous people on Earth that needs a wheelchair to get around – Pope Francis.

Designer: Paul de Livron

The Apollo Wooden Wheelchair was designed by Paul de Livron, a French craftsman and designer who has been making his own wheelchair models ever since he broke his spine and had to use wheelchairs back in 2013. He was finally able to create a wooden wheelchair prototype that is eco-friendly and can use locally available materials as well as not so expensive and also not that complex.

Aside from the fact that the materials used are sustainable, the other “superpower” that the wooden wheelchair possesses is that it changes the way that other people will look at those who will be using this unique-looking mobility aid. The wooden aesthetic adds an interesting aspect to something that used to be purely functional and was in fact a source of embarrassment to some of its users.

Early last year, they presented an enhanced prototype of the wheelchair to Pope Francis who has been using a wheelchair to get around because of his constant knee pain. de Livron was actually given piece of wood from the medieval frame of the Notre-Dame Cathedral to incorporate into the wheelchair and he also put in some other religious details to make it a wheelchair worthy for a pope.

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Honda UNI-ONE wheelchair finds innovative use in VR worlds as extended reality mobility experience

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Honda introduced the UNI-ONE personal mobility chair for people with lower limb immobilization at the end of 2022. The Segway-like version for people who want an advanced electric wheelchair contraption with flexible movement capabilities will officially debut at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, next month, with a VR application twist.

The Japanese automaker will leverage the self-balancing personal mobility device (mostly intended for the disabled) for a seamless virtual reality world, which they are calling the “Honda Extended Reality (XR)” experience. The idea of fusing the real-world riding on the UNI-ONE with the virtual world environment sounds like a winning proposition, and Honda doesn’t want to let go of the opportunity.

Designer: Honda

The SXSW attendees will get the opportunity to get first-hand exposure to this unique VR experience from 10-13 March at Honda’s booth #729 at the SXSW Creative Industries Expo at the Austin Convention Center. This amalgam of two different technologies is directed towards solving the hardware limitation of a comprehensive metaverse reality that is otherwise only limited to the visual input and confined to a limited space. According to Hirokazu Hara, vice president of New Business Development, at American Honda Motor this will expand the “joy and freedom of personal mobility into entertainment applications.”

Hirokazu further added that the never-before thought of combination will elevate the multimodal immersive experience three-fold. The self-balancing tech dubbed Honda Omni Traction Drive System (HOT Drive System) and the advanced sensors on the 154 pounds UNI-ONE (permitting movement and tilt in any direction) will leverage a new VR and AR entertainment. This will shoot the extended reality technology and application development possibilities to another level, inducing the interest of early adopters more than ever before.

For instance, racing through a track on a virtual planet with lesser gravity than on Earth will be possible on a hands-free device capable of going at a top speed of 3.7 mph. The rig will combine the visual input from a VR headset and the freedom of movement to make the user feel as if racing on a real track in an alien landscape. The fact that Honda is vesting so much interest in this possibility with the UNI-ONE speaks a lot about how the future is going to pan out in the Metaverse world. According to Honda the extended reality (XR) technology will be perfect for malls, theme parks, or any other indoor or outdoor entertainment hubs with a lot of open space to move around.

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Segway-style, motion-activated ‘standing’ wheelchair helps users confidently navigate life

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What is the ultimate freedom for those with lower limb disabilities bound to a wheelchair? A ride that not only helps get around with minimum external human assistance, but that allows one to stand up and sit down with similar convenience. Invaluable modifications have happened to the traditional wheelchair to reach closer to this dream of ultimate freedom.

Joysticks are used for maneuvering the wheelchair through obstacles and mechanics are to allow a wheelchair to rise from the usual sitting position to semi-standing freedom. Addressing this facet with an outstanding new approach is the Kim-e, a segway-styled wheelchair users can stand upright in just a matter of seconds.

Designer: Chronus Robotics

The brainchild of Chronus Robotics, a Lithuanian-based manufacturer, the Kim-e has been developed into a production model over four years of research, prototyping and perfecting. Unlike the traditional wheelchair, the Kim-e is instantly distinguishable with its two-wheeled design. There is no word on pricing or availability at the time of writing, presumably though, it should be out sometime later in the year. You can book a free test ride with Kim-e today.

Things are made ultra-convenient not just by the instant transformation of this wheelchair from sitting to standing in seconds, but more so by its hands-free functionality. Reportedly, Kim-e can be controlled by upper body movement to raise and lower the seat or glide the wheelchair through the crowd. And when you’re ready to hit the road, it can fold up to fit into the boot of your car for easy transportation.

Drawing its power from a lithium battery onboard, Kim-e can power up fully in four hours and travel up to 30 km on a single charge at a top speed of 20 km/h. This wheelchair, along with the built-in battery weighs 38 kg and has a payload bearing capacity of up to 90 kg. Kim-e may have a slightly lesser weight-carrying ability, but it is designed with safety in mind whether you use it in a traditional seated position at the work desk or while strolling upright with your friends in the mall.

Kim-e is equipped with a scissor-lift-type mechanism which allows the seat to raise enough to put the occupant at the eye-level of your companion. No more pushing or tugging. Let your friend/partner wall besides, while you maneuver the wheelchair on your off-road capable tires over sand, gravel or shallow water. At a semi-standing position, Kim-e straps the user’s thigh and even supports one to climb slopes of up to 20 degrees without breaking a sweat.

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This Korean institute’s robotic wheelchair can let the user stand up and climb stairs at will

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Mobility has presented challenges for the differently abled, and it has also posed difficulties for the manufacturing industry in perfecting the concept of self-controlled wheelchairs to provide users with greater freedom. While addressing the quest for enhanced mobility, the focus has predominantly centered on the practicality of being seated and moving smoothly on level terrain.

A bright idea, which could change the way we see mobility on wheelchair for good, seems to be in the works as a new robotic wheelchair. The wheelchair, conceived by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), comprise mechanism that would allow it to climb stairs and let the occupant stand upright with assistance.

Designer: KIMM

The latest breakthrough in assistive technology, this wheelchair design places a strong emphasis on user comfort and adaptability. This remarkable idea comprises a central platform equipped with two distinct modules: a stair-climbing module located at the bottom, and a standing module on top.

The stair-climbing module, which is ingeniously designed to stay retracted within the chair when not needed, keeping the chair looking classic and sleek for everyday use. When the user encounters a flight of stairs, the stair-climbing module can be lowered and while maintaining the wheelchair’s horizontal level, it allows the user to tackle the staircase one step at a time without compromising safety. For safety, the stair-climbing module features pair of rubber tracks on front and back that grips the edge of the stairs to ensure it does not slip.

Beyond this enhanced mobility, this wheelchair offers an added dimension of well-being through its standing module. This module facilitates smooth transitions between various postures, including standing, reclining, leaning backwards or forward. This adaptability helps reduce monotony and the risk of poor blood circulation that can result from prolonged periods of sitting in the same position on a wheelchair.

As if these features aren’t impressive enough, the design team is reportedly working on transforming wheels to replace the climber module. These wheels exhibit the ability to remain perfectly round while moving on flat surfaces and tend to conform to the contours of stairs as they roll over them. With the combination of a retractable stair-climbing module and a standing module, this robotic wheelchair has the potential of transforming the lives of individuals with mobility challenges for good.

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This luxurious chaise lounge is actually a motorized wheelchair in disguise

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Despite technologies in development to help people with walking disabilities or difficulties regain their footing, the majority of these people will most likely live out their lives in wheelchairs. That’s especially true for elderly people who are unlikely to benefit from those mechanical marvels anyway. But while wheelchairs do bring about some mobility for these people, their clinical and industrial designs don’t exactly inspire confidence, let alone provide comfort for their day-to-day activities. It’s as if these mobility devices were made to liberate their bodies while limiting their spirits, serving as a reminder of their unfavorable situation. This wheelchair concept, however, goes in a very different direction, designed to feel good and look great as if it were part of a high-class furniture set, giving users a confidence boost to regain a bit of their independence every day.

Designers: Hanyoung Lee, Haejun Park, Seongmin Ha, Jun Hong, Soyeon Park, Hyunsub Shin

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For some elderly people, wheelchairs represent an odd dichotomy. These personal mobility devices allow them to go places on their own that would otherwise be unreachable for them, but at the same time, they also serve as a very visible and visual reminder of their disability. These people, however, are in more need of social support and emotional confidence through independence of movement that will let them connect with other people on their own. The Resilience motorized wheelchair concept is designed to meet that need not through technological features alone but also through the smart use of colors and materials.

In a nutshell, Resilience transforms the idea of a typically rugged motorized wheelchair into an elegant chaise lounge, one that you might not even recognize as a wheelchair. Colors such as Resilient gray and Classy chrome give the mobile piece of furniture an elegant flair, while materials such as plastic and leather provide soft comfort and pleasant tactile experiences. At the same time, the construction is also made to be durable and stable, employing aluminum and metal parts that inspire confidence in the use of the wheelchair.

Beyond just materials, the Resilience’s form also generates mellowing thoughts through the use of smooth surfaces and gentle curves. The base has wavy details that could call to mind the ridges of clam shells or the ripples of water. This elegant design is used as a metaphor for the elderly person’s influence extending and expanding as their mobility and independence increase.

Resilience is actually part of a larger mobility system, one that includes a self-driving “Brio” vehicle designed specifically to accommodate this luxurious motorized wheelchair. Brio uses the same design language as Resilience, making it look and feel like they’re two parts of the same whole, one that’s designed to help expand the elderly’s reach, whether indoors or outdoors.

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This foldable wheelchair with yellow accents was designed to blend in with the city

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Japanese studio Quantum is based in Tokyo and was founded in 2016. Since its inception, it has been creating innovative products and services, and one of them happens to be the Wheeliy 2.0 wheelchair. As its name might suggest, the Wheeliy 2.0 is an updated and improved version of Quantum’s award-winning original Wheeliy wheelchair, which was developed in collaboration with medical equipment manufacturer Molten. The 2.0 version promises to be lighter, and easier to use, and has a few updated features up its sleeve to show off!

Designer: Quantum

“Wheeliy 2.0 is a wheelchair that further evolves the concept of the previous model of achieving unrestricted mobility in society,” Quantum said. The 2.0 version was designed to make it extremely easy to use for wheelchair users, as well as the people who push or support them. The weight of the wheelchair has been reduced and amped with simple mechanisms that make operating and moving the wheelchair pretty easy. The wheelchair comes in the eight-kilogram range, making it quite lightweight, and boosting its mobility. Magnesium was used to construct the mainframe of the wheelchair, and carbon fiber for the wheels. This takes off two kilograms from the Wheeliy 2.0, as compared to the original version.

The wheelchair has also been equipped with armrests that function as brakes when they are pushed down, and footrests that can be lifted up effortlessly in a single movement. The yellow accents from the original Wheeliy have been maintained, which makes the wheelchair easier to use for those who are accustomed to using them. The accents guide the users on how to hold, lift, and fold the chair easily.

“Wheeliy 2.0 retains the core design of the previous model, but with an even greater focus on improving comfort when out and about. The design blends in with the city, making you want to go further and creating more comfort for the user and those who support the user,” said Quantum.

The Wheeliy was originally available in 2 colors, but the 2.0 version comes in 4 colors, providing users with a diverse range of options to pick from, allowing them to choose a wheelchair that perfectly matches their personal taste and preference. However, Wheeliy 2.0 has retained its original S-shaped frame and three spokes, in addition to the yellow accents, which are a part of the brand’s identity now.

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Honda Uni-One robotic wheelchair allows users to ride like they were walking independently

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Mobility devices, designed to deliver independence to the differently-abled, often intrigue me. Whether directly or indirectly targeted at this population, these click with me and I cannot hold back but share the information/design with the audience. One such extension of – almost a decade old – smart motorized stool from Honda is the Uni-One, which is a self-balancing and easy-to-steer robotic wheelchair for the future.

Based on the Honda Uni-Cub introduced first in 2012, the Uni-One is designed to offer hands-free personal mobility to anyone with lower limb immobilization or the lazy workforce that would rather not make the effort of raising their butt from the seat to get to the meeting room.

Designer: Honda

This robotic chair can be steered by shifting the weight (in the direction you want to move) while sitting on it. The Uni-One can move naturally by detecting the rider’s body movement, much like mimicking the concept of walking in daily life. Uni-One thrives on the independence it offers, not only in case of mobility but rending the user’s hands-free for other tasks.

When you’re strapped into the Uni-One, you have your hands free to safeguard yourself in case of a trip over (even though Honda has perfected the robotic chair so no such incident occurs). Expanding a range of possibilities beyond walking and wheelchair mobility, the Uni-One aims to help people – from all walks of life – in their daily routines. The chair can be guided by either the movement of the body or using a joystick, which is essential for times when the device encounters a malfunction.

Interestingly, Honda Uni-One is ridable in two positions: low, stable mode, or raised mode, a position pretty close to that of a standing person. There is no word on the battery capacity or the operability speeds of the Uni-One, at the time of writing. The device has been exhibited and has bagged the Good Design Awards 2022; I am assuming, the information is just around the corner.

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Top 10 medical innovations to revolutionize and give modern healthcare a major boost

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If there’s something that the pandemic taught us it’s that health truly is wealth! We cannot take our health and well-being for granted, and a mindset of preparedness and precaution is extremely integral during such times. The medical industry has been making leaps and jumps in its innovations, to ensure such a brutal pandemic doesn’t occur again. Designers have been coming up with new and improved, life-saving medical designs that not only boost medical care but relieve some of the pressure from our tireless medical force. From an award-winning inflatable stretcher design to a self-driving wheelchair – these designs tackle a variety of problems in the health and medical field. They’re a boon to modern healthcare and a reminder that we cannot take our health for granted any longer!

1. The Inflatable Stretcher

The Inflatable Stretcher by Yu-Hsin Wu, a student at Taiwan’s Shih Chien University, provides a new and improved version of the stretcher, ensuring that patients are transported in a safer and more securer manner from the site of the accident to a hospital. Like wrapping someone in bubble wrap, the Inflatable Stretcher cushions patients and even secures them with its unique design. Besides, it even comes with its own first-aid kit to help treat injuries that require immediate attention.

2. The AC1 Boot

Designed by Brooklyn-based mischief-makers MSCHF, the AC1 boot, makes rehabilitation from a foot injury lighter and more fun. A removable water-resistant inner neoprene sock liner helps maintain an element of realism. This flexible molded rubber Aircast boot is differentiated from a real medical boot by the presence of the branding logo on all sides. To keep the hip-hop shoe comfortable for all-day use, MSCHF has loaded it with the patented Wowcomfy tech cushions for the underfoot and high-traction outsole.

3. Airy

Airy is a lightweight, comfortable, fashionable, and sustainable brace designed to correct the lateral curvature of the spine. The designer actually created this after talking with a group of adolescent girls, which is the demographic most affected by scoliosis. She wanted to create a revamped version of the current back braces available in the market, and in turn created a brace that not only solves a lot of the pain points of the preexisting ones, but is also comfortable, and adjusts to the growing bodies of its users.

4. CHD-4

Congenital heart disease is a common birth defect, that not a lot of us are aware about. To inspire and generate awareness about this disease, which affects close to 400,000 kids in the US alone each year, designer Love Hultén – reckoned for his handmade audio-visual art and works in music tech – in collaboration with Teenage Engineering has revealed the drum machine with congenital heart disease. The project has been prepared for World Heart’s Day 2022 and would be auctioned on Valentine’s Day next year. Referenced as CHD–4, the drum machine is a functional, modular synthesizer of sorts that produces rhythms made using echocardiograms (ECGs) of four different children suffering from varying forms of heart diseases.

5. Kubota’s Eyeglasses

Japanese pharmaceutical startup Kubota designed special eyeglasses that can improve or even cure Myopia. Kubota’s wearable design has been amped with an array of nano projectors, which project light at the wearer’s retina in a specific pattern, to cause blurring at short distances, in turn forcing them to look further away. This helps the eyeball to morph back into its original shape and allows one’s vision to return to normal. You’re supposed to wear the glasses for a couple of hours a day, usually when you’re simply relaxing or unwinding in the comfort of your home. These groundbreaking glasses could cure Myopia once and for all!

6. Cobi

Cobi, a means of personal mobility for seniors, is designed one, to positively impact an aged person’s attitude toward life, two, to change the society’s outlook toward the aged population which is considered a liability especially when free mobility becomes a task for them. With something like the matte-finished Cobi, the aged generation will lead a better, less dependent, mobile life; it’s a given! To earn such credibility, the accessory is meticulously created in two individual parts: a walker and a mobility device, which combine to form one state-of-the-art wheelchair. Even more exciting; Cobi runs without human intervention.

7. Uray

Uray is a urine analysis device, but one that looks more approachable and also less embarrassing to look at! It almost looks like a liquid soap dispenser, if it were attached to a wall. It definitely looks appealing and friendly! If you don’t have to take it out of storage every time you need to use it, you are more likely to actually use it and test your urine for potential health problems. The colored lower portion not only makes it look more interesting but also leaves room for manufacturer customization.

8. The Multi Scoop Pro

The Multi Scoop Pro is called so, because it allows medical professionals to scoop up patients, instead of lifting them and then placing them on a stretcher. It splits open laterally, so you can position it on either side of the patient. When the two halves are united once again, you can scoop the patient onto the stretcher, which can then be lifted and moved to the closest ambulance. For patients with less serious injuries, the Multi Scoop Pro can simply be folded into a wheelchair, allowing a single medic to transport them while they’re comfortably seated.

9. The Medicine Delivery Drone

Although designed for urban setups, the Medicine Delivery Drone’s main focus is on urban residents who cannot step out on their own to buy medicines. The drone, designed specifically for carrying pills, can travel between a pharmacy and a residence, dropping off life-saving medicines without any effort on the part of the patient. The drone was designed as a response to the strict Zero Covid policy instituted in China, where lockdowns are imposed to help curb the virus, often affecting the ability of people with serious ailments to step out and buy medicines. In such situations, the drone does the job for them, fulfilling prescription requirements by shuttling between nearby pharmacies and the recipients.

10. Gelassette

Called Gelassette, this prototype is a COVID-19 test that is much more sustainable than the current ones being used! This new prototype uses no plastic with the positive characteristics needed to be mimicked by gelatin. This material is already utilized in other medical technology and is a fully biodegradable material. With this material, you get 4 weeks of soil biodegradability and less than 3 hours of water dispersibility.

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Absolutely genius medical stretcher can transform into a wheelchair for patients with less serious injuries

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Although its name doesn’t quite do it complete justice, the Multi Scoop Pro is a rather novel shapeshifting stretcher that also turns into a wheelchair on command. Contrary to what its name may suggest, it isn’t an ice cream machine…

The idea for the Multi Scoop Pro comes from the folks at Studio Rotor, who wanted to create one single medical apparatus that could scoop patients up, function as a stretcher, and even double as a lightweight wheelchair when necessary. Designed for Retter Medical and further developed by IDP Amsterdam for manufacturing, the Multi Scoop Pro comes with a patented mechanism that allows it to split, fold, and lock into either stretcher or wheelchair positions. The Multi Scoop Pro also weighs a mere 10 kgs, giving it a significant advantage over the heavy electrically operated stretcher-lift systems built into ambulances that can weigh 5-6 times the amount.

Designers: Studio Rotor and IDP Amsterdam for Retter Medical

The Multi Scoop Pro gets its name from being able to scoop up patients instead of having them lifted and placed onto the stretcher. The stretcher splits open laterally, allowing it to be placed on either side of the patient on the ground. When the two halves are brought back together again, they scoop the patient onto the stretcher platform, which can then be lifted and transported to the nearest ambulance. For patients with less serious injuries, the Multi Scoop Pro can simply be folded into a wheelchair, allowing a single medic to transport them while they’re comfortably seated.

A prototype unit of the Multi Scoop Pro, co-developed with IDP Amsterdam

The idea for the Multi Scoop Pro started with a broad exploration of the work environment of ambulance personnel. Through research, it became clear that, at least in Amsterdam, most ambulances were gradually phasing out manual stretchers and replacing them with expensive, heavy electrical-powered stretchers that operate like massive car-jacks, using motorized mechanisms to fold flat upon arrival, and lift up after the patient’s been loaded onto the stretcher. The second fundamental problem with this arrangement (aside from cost and weight) was the fact that patients still needed to be lifted ONTO the stretcher. With its scooping design, the Multi Scoop Pro solves the latter problem. For the former, the design weighs a paltry 10 kilograms and costs a fraction of what an electrically operated stretcher would cost.

The fact that the stretcher transforms into a wheelchair is a much-appreciated added bonus. A stretcher isn’t required 100% of the time, especially when the patient is conscious, has just minor injuries, and doesn’t need to be laid down or restrained on a horizontal platform. The transformation takes mere seconds and can be locked into position so the wheelchair doesn’t come undone during transit.

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This self-driving wheelchair has detachable walker to empower the user to walk with ease

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Age is only a number until your body begins to show signs of aging. When knees begin to wear down, the simplest of tasks – you took for granted – steadily develop into an everyday challenge and then age suddenly becomes a significant number.

Life at this point leans toward dependence which none of us have wanted to experience. To facilitate individuals in considering mobility lesser of a challenge, we have seen tech-enabled walkers, canes, and electric wheelchairs in our time; however, combining the ability of all in a cohesive device, Cobi makes a sublime appearance.

Designer: Hyeon Park, Haeun Jung, Hyuntae Kim, Sookyoung Ahn

Cobi, a means of personal mobility for seniors, is designed one, to positively impact an aged person’s attitude toward life, two, to change the society’s outlook toward aged population which is considered a liability especially when free mobility becomes a task for them.

With something like the matte finished Cobi, the aged generation will lead a better, less dependent, mobile life; it’s a given! To earn such credibility, the accessory is meticulously created in two individual parts: a walker and a mobility device, that combine to form one state-of-the-art wheelchair. Even more exciting; Cobi runs without human intervention.

With its autonomous mobility and onboard button for instant breaking, Cobi is one convenient way for mobility challenged to get from point A to B without external assistance. To ensure a glitch-free ride, Cobi uses laser projection to navigate around obstacles. Provided with a cushioned seat and low backrest, the mobility device has a hide-away footrest that sticks out allowing the rider to rest their feet through transit. For additional convenience, the mobility detaches from the walker at the destination, facilitating the user to head to the areas where the ride cannot go, simply by using the walker as the assistant.

The height adjustable walker has a rubber handle that’s convenient to grip and it has a built-in flashlight to guide the user through dark environments. While the senior person is using the walker, the self-driving Cobi returns to its charging station so the person can avail the ride once it’s back in power and ready to go.

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