I personally love and appreciate designs developed to ease the life of the disabled. That is why I have loved the concept Futuristic wheel chair designed by designers Thomas Ross and Dave Cochrane. The concept is developed to improve the life of the disabled using the best technology available. The concept was designed after considering some specific problems pertaining to wheel chairs experienced by their users. The problem of storage is solved by adding a teardrop extrusion on the back of the concept wheel chair. The issue of pressure sores is avoided by opting for Herman Miller’s superb Aeron chair fabric, Pellicle that allows comfortable long term use without negative impact to the user’s circulation and skin health. A rear ball assembly allows an almost zero footprint turning circle, allowing the user to continue to live in their home without undue disruption. The wheel chair boasts of an oleo based suspension unit. These units connect to the main drive and power pack under the frame of the seat.
What is more, the users can also control the wheelchair without using their hands, courtesy a control system which is already available and based on Apple’s iPhone. The user can also voice control various functions of this wheelchair through the iPhone feature. The iPhone system would be mounted on a suction cup or a mount attached to a flexible goose-neck device. Designers opted for rimless wheels as they ensured the ease of changing of wheels with tire treads suited to various conditions.
A great concept, this hi-tech chair would definitely benefit the lives of many disabled people who are confined to a wheelchair.
