Kickstarter Campaign Brings Wheelchairs to the Developing World

Another Kickstarter campaign featuring new wheelchair technology is close to reaching its goal today.

With only 26 days to go (at the time of writing) the team behind the SafariSeat, a wheelchair aimed at developing countries, has managed to raise over $33,000 of their approximate $37,000 goal with 26 days left on their campaign.

About the SafariSeat

The new wheelchair, aptly named the SafariSeat, is a low-cost, all-terrain wheelchair that is specially designed to be used by people who live in rural areas of third-world or developing nations.

The wheelchair differentiates itself from other models by using a pump lever to move, which allows for improved biomechanical efficiency. Users can grip the top of the levers when more power is needed to climb over rough terrain, or they grab the bottom of the lever to easily pick up speed.

Because the wheelchair has four wheels that mimic the suspension of a car, the chair is ideal for use where paved roads are not present, which is why it is aimed at people who live in rural areas of African or other underdeveloped nations.

The SafariSeat also has a unique seat that shifts as the chair moves, alleviating pressure on the buttocks, stimulating blood flow and reducing the risk of pressure ulcers and sores from forming.

Take a look at the SafariSeat in action in this video.

Great for Everyday Use or for Travel

For people who live in developing nations – where wheelchair vehicles are scarce and wheelchairs themselves are either of low quality or are high-priced – the SafariSeat looks like it offers a solution like none other. If it really is as low-cost as its creators claim, it could be a game-changer for people with disabilities all over the world.

Not only can it make a difference for the people who live in these nations, but for people with disabilities everywhere. Because accessibility is often an issue in developing nations, people who use wheelchairs often cannot travel there. The SafariSeat has the ability to offer even greater travel opportunities to people who own wheelchairs that cannot traverse over rough or uneven terrain.

The designs for this chair are open-source, meaning that anyone can add on to them, alter them or use them to build new wheelchair designs of their own!

What do you think of the SafariSeat? Do you think this wheelchair design can change lives? Let us know in the comments below!

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