Four Exciting Innovations We Love To See In Mobility Devices

Four Exciting Innovations We Love To See In Mobility Devices

We now live in a digital realm where bright ideas are quickly expedited, and innovation is the name of the game. With the rise of high technology, evolution is inevitable. Today, mobility aids like travel scooters and wheelchairs are evolving and undergoing changes. The likes of the Solax Charge, which is an automatic folding scooter powered by lithium batteries, and the self-loading scooter Quingo Flyte are only a few examples of modernisation. Innovations on these scooters may be little for now, but the impacts and benefits for the end-user are big time.

We have seen automatic folding, digital dashboards and electric-powered mobility aids. We’re sure that you are also excited about which kind of technology will revolutionise these devices next. We listed some innovations that we’re excited to see introduced to mobility aids.

Smartphone Powered Mobility Equipment

Isn’t it a great idea to have control over your travel scooter or wheelchair using an app you download on your smartphone? Besides the digital dashboard, you can also check your scooter’s battery life, distance travelled and more with just a tap. This technology isn’t that far from reality, as some scooter and power chair brands have been utilising this already.

Voice Activated Commands On Your Mobility Scooters

With the advent of smart home devices using voice automation technology, it is also exciting to see if there will be mobility aids that enable voice command control. If you can light up your room without tapping the on and off switch like Vocca Light or having Alexa or Siri-type virtual assistants that follow your every command. If this is a technology that is enabled for mobility scooters or powerchairs, it will surely benefit its end users.

Mobile Exoskeleton Wheelchairs

Have you heard about the mobile exoskeleton? It’s a mobility device that can act as a standard wheelchair, but it can aid its users with mobility issues with support for both the upper and lower bodies. An example of this technology is the Qolo which claims to remove the “chair” in “wheelchair”, giving the user a choice to sit or stand. This cutting edge device is a lightweight, mobile exoskeleton on wheels that is controlled by the upper body and can be operated hands-free.

Self Balancing Wheelchairs

One of the perils that wheelchair users face is being out of balance. Tipping back happens when there is uneven weight distribution and the wheelchair is overbalanced. An incident happens because of the unstable centre of gravity. With innovation on the classic wheelchair, a self-balancing mobility aid that uses smart sensor technology continuously adjusts its centre of gravity. The Phoenix AI is an ultra-lightweight wheelchair made with carbon fibre. This self-balancing wheelchair makes it easier for users to push and turn by removing drag and uncomfortable movements. It also provides power assistance when scaling slopes, and automatic brakes eliminate the need for the end-user to hold the wheels to slow down.

Reference: https://www.ns-businesshub.com/technology/new-mobility-devices-five-innovations-revolutionising-the-wheelchair-lauded-by-toyota/ https://star.global/posts/do-e-scooters-represent-the-future-of-mobility/ https://www.ahs.com/home-matters/tech/smart-home-voice-control-devices/ https://www.autoblog.com/2019/01/10/qolo-removes-the-chair-from-wheelchair/ https://www.dezeen.com/2020/12/03/phoenix-instinct-smart-wheelchair/