I Want!

[stonebender]

I'm very excited this happened, but I will confess that I feel a little conflicted. This is very good news for many people who use wheelchairs. Unfortunately, I see from here that I may need a more usable arm than I have currently. I hope they can find a way for folk to drive this wheelchair using some of the current off-the-shelf wheelchair control systems. For example I would need them to be able to let me drive the wheelchair with my chin or perhaps a "sip and puff" (like Chris Reeves) to drive the wheelchair. Still, it's very good news!

Comments

Call them.

[the-ogre.livejournal.com]

Make the suggestion - I'm sure they'd want to hear from you. I think it would be awesome if they were able to adapt one of these for you, and I can't see any reason why it couldn't be done.

Re: Call them.

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Will do! I have had on-again off-again correspondence with them (I tried really hard to be one of their beta testers). So they shouldn't be completely unaware of my opinion, but reminders are a good thing.

Of course I still have to figure out how to get one! :-)

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Ohmigosh!

*kiss*

Off to see munchkins. I love you. I would love it if you could climb stairs. :-)

ibot

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, that thing rocks! i found the patent application for it when i was wondering about what the much-hyped super-secret "it" was going to be (which turned out the segway, invented by the same guy). good to see it's actually being built!

Re: ibot

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I couldn't believe all that hype around the segway. The whole "it" had me thinking the breakthrough was something fundamental. A new environmentally friendly energy source. The unified field theory, something, and it turned to be that stupid thing. However the wheelchair is very cool!

[lysana.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. I heard of this one a few months ago. I am crossing my fingers that you can get them to do one with a guidance system you can use.

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Me too!

[firecat]

That's great! I hope they make one for you, post-haste.

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Me too! I fact right now would be good :-) My first trip down stairs will be interesting. I'm sure I'll have to overcome an attack of "this is just wrong!"

[firecat]

Indeed. Right along with "wheeee!"

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

*chuckle* Yeah!

[blackfyr.livejournal.com]

Well, it may be possible to add a chin control system onto it, since the joystick controller is somewhat detachable.

[stonebender.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think it can be done. The issue may be real estate. If there are too many switches it gets difficult to keep the controls within reach, but out of the way. The actual steering with the joystick shouldn't be a problem. The trick is how the stair climbing etc. features are controlled.