jawfish

Disabled Rides
john posted in rides on July 13th, 2005

A new prototype trike for wheelchair users is making the rounds. See Martin for the details.

This may not be a well-developed vehicle yet, and there is little reason to critique it, but it’s on a track to give disabled people the opportunity to have an interesting ride, instead of the boring old minivan.

It has always mystified me why $100 bicycles weigh far less than wheelchairs, and the same anti-ergonomic disparity can be seen throughout the medical equipment field. There is a quality of punishment about walkers and crutches and wheelchairs. The mobility scooters and new walkers I see are getting better, but they still lack normal ergonomic design. In the first place things are too heavy, and not customized for the person. They are also ugly, stamped with that industrial-medical look that shouts, “I am a sufferer, look away.”

It’s as if the only shoes you could buy were workboots and nurse-shoes – no sneakers, no gore-tex, no snow boots, no flip-flops. However a quick search reveals custom equipment, colors, and bicycle-type technology is now available.

The same shop that designed the Segway, has an extremely complicated wheelchair at Ibot that climbs steps.

This all very well and good at $29,000 USD, but a simple wheelchair that raises the user to eye level would be a big hit, from what I read. Interesting design from the disabled-sports world are in this chaotic listing here.

A electric powered beach chair by Hotshot.

A quad rugby chair from Eagle.   A tennis chair from Invacare.