The Technology of Wheelchairs in the Future

Today, there are close to 131 million people who use wheelchairs to move around the world. Most rely on the same decades-old technology to get around. Despite all of the improvements wheelchairs make to the quality of people’s lives, little has changed about the wheelchair. At Next Day Access, we are excited about any new gadgets and devices that could enhance our customers’ lives, so we researched disability products for the future. Here are a few of the new inventions we hope to one-day hit markets. 

Self-Driving Wheelchairs 

In South Korea, a company, Guru IoT, is currently developing a self-driving wheelchair. The wheelchair can navigate through a crowd and avoid hurdles. It also has safety features like emergency braking and more. The newly developed self-driving wheelchair can hopefully solve many problems that people with limited mobility face. Often, the manual wheelchair can be hard to use for children below a certain height or adults with weak muscle power.

Smart Chairs 

Say hello to “Luci.” Luci is a wheelchair accessory that can transform power wheelchairs into intelligent chairs. The frame, which attaches to the mobility device has eight sensors. It can perform tasks like reducing speed or stopping to prevent accidents.

With safety being one of the top concerns, the development team at Luci ran a series of crash tests to measure the different types of impact caused to wheelchair users. During their tests they found that 87% of power wheelchair users reported only one trip or fall in the past three years. So, while it has some room for improvement, it does look exciting. 

3D Printed Carbon Fiber Wheelchairs

Medical 3D printing has allowed for a reinvention with wheelchairs. Phoenix Instinct, a mobility equipment supplier in Scotland has developed the Phoenix i. The Phoenix i is a lightweight, carbon fiber wheelchair. This new invention makes it easier to have more control in terrains and greater flexibility and stability.

The advancements in technology is exciting and hopeful. At Next Day Access, our goal is to help keep you safe and comfortable while aging-in-place. Contact us for a free in-home safety evaluation.