(Image via upwheelchair.com)
New innovations are always being introduced to make life easier for wheelchair users and people with disabilities.
A team of graduated students from ASU came up with the idea to create “UP Wheelchair”, a cheap and lightweight wheelchair that elevates.
The idea rose in the year of 2012, when the 4 ASU students involved in the Space Innovation Program were in their senior of college. Using a typical wheelchair and finding a way to make it elevate, they introduced their first prototype. With the help of other engineers and wheelchair users, they are currently working on their second prototype.
The team of students still continues to meet weekly about their innovation. Even through their disagreements, they have learned from each other in a positive way, being able to see each other visions.
The creation of this wheelchair is aimed for wheelchair users to have the ability to choose the height they want by elevating the wheelchair up to 10 inches.
Something that able-bodied people may not realize is that wheelchair users lack height in order to reach things, which is why these students decided to create a wheelchair that elevates.
“You begin to realize that things are out of reach, everything is meant for people of average height,” said Georgiou (one of the students).
Not being able to reach things is not only a hindrance to wheelchair users, but heights also affects them socially by not be able to communicate with others at eye level.
It came to their attention that wheelchairs users are literally looked down upon when they are communicating with able-bodied people, which is the problem they want to solve. The students “hope to give people independence and re-establish sense of normalcy” as the “UP Wheelchair” will provide wheelchair users with more freedom when it comes to their mobility.
An elevating wheelchair, handicapped vans… what innovation do you think will be introduced next? Share your thoughts!