A Thought-Controlled Wheelchair

Sometimes you see things that make you believe the Sci-Fi future is coming along much more quickly than we expected.

This thought-controlled wheelchair is one of those things. With just a week of training, a computer system can be synced to a person’s brain patterns, allowing that person to control a wheelchair through thought alone.

With approximately 95% accuracy, and fail-safe mechanisms built in, this invention could potentially provide increased ease of mobility to persons with severe spinal cord injuries. Although it isn’t ready to be introduced to the general public yet, the prospect that this type of device is on the horizon is really encouraging.

What do you think – would you be willing to trust a machine controlled only by your thoughts? I think it’s exciting, but kind of scary too.

Enjoy the Outdoors Off-roading in a Wheelchair with the Mountain Trike

The great outdoors is usually very inaccessible to wheelchair users, but thanks to the invention of a new manual all terrain wheelchair, the gap between wheelchair accessibility and outdoors fun has become significantly narrower. Two engineers from the University of Bath, UK have been working diligently for four years to design this revolutionary off-road wheelchair – marketed as the Mountain Trike.

The wheelchair is propelled by pushing forward on two levers connected to the front wheels and uses an air-sprung suspension to absorb the shocks encountered on rough terrain. This off-road ingenuity allows you to travel through mud, grass, gravel, uneven terrain and modest amounts of snow and, you are also able to climb hills without rolling backwards. The Mountain Trike is built with safety in mind. For example, it has two small front wheels that prevent its user from tipping over forward when braking abruptly or going down a steep descent.

Tim Morgan and John Wardle, the inventors, plan to launch this exciting all terrain wheelchair at the Rehacare disability exhibition in Dusseldorf Germany later in the year. We wish them good luck with the launch as this new off-road wheelchair is certainly going to benefit a lot of wheelchair users who would love to explore the outdoors more freely.

Witness for yourself how cool this all terrain wheelchair really is by checking out this video that provides an excellent narrated overview of its most exciting features.

Or watch this brief off-road journey where the latest prototype is demonstrated.

Paragliding in a Wheelchair – an Ultimate Thrill Soon To Become Reality?

Have you ever dreamed of floating through the sky in your wheelchair? Soon this might very well be possible thanks to the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association. Work has begun on a special chair that allows any wheelchair-bound person to independently take up the sport of paragliding. How cool is that?

This amazing wheelchair underwent its first test last week carrying an able-bodied person and initial tests look very promising. Hang gliding in a wheelchair opens a whole new world for people with mobility disabilities.

Moreover, nothing really prevents a person using a wheelchair from participating competitively alongside an able-bodied person because everyone is equal when “hanging” freely in the sky.

You can check out the entire story at the Deseret News site.

Wheelchair Dancing with the Axis Dance Company

A few years ago I had the opportunity to see a performance of the Axis Dance Company. I’m not usually the type of person that really enjoys modern dance performances, but the premise of the Axis Dance Company really intrigued me: blending performers in wheelchairs and with mobility disabilities with able-bodied dancers. Their mission is to make dance accessible to all – and they do it in a creative, innovate, and often beautiful way.

They have several videos up on YouTube so I’ll let the dancing speak for itself, but I will encourage you to take a look and see what is being done to push the boundaries of the perceived limitations of the disabled. The work of the Axis Dance Company is inspiring to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMIgEO4vmcY&feature=related

How Do You Select the Right Wheelchair?

Greg is a quadriplegic who has put a lot of videos up around his disability and how to modify his home and lifestyle to better accommodate his needs. We’ve found a lot of benefit from watching these, and wanted to share this one on how to select a wheelchair, and Greg even demonstrates his standing wheelchair. We hope you find it useful – and if you have any tips  or experience you’d be willing to share from your own experiences with choosing wheelchairs, leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you!