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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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“Achoo! Will Plexiglass Dividers Make Post- Pandemic Airlines Feel Safe?’

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A mock-up of an interior with 3 seats, the middle turned in the opposite direction. Pretty genius! illustration courtesy Avio Interiors

The New York Post reports on an Italian company, Avio Interiors, that’s already designed the latest in virus-proof comfortable airplane seating. While there are no wheelchairs seats yet, there are some serious upgrades including more space and plastic germ shields. (You have no idea how far a sneeze droplet can travel until you’ve ridden the New York City subway.)

OUR TAKE: If airlines are going to go back to cattle car mode to survive, adding plexiglass seat dividers to their existing protocols and create opposing-facing middle seats may at least one way to mitigate the risk of infection 

The Latest in Mobility For Zoomers (you know, Boomers who will. not. stop.)

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The iLivingV8 is a blue scooter that has pedals and looks like a scooter
Looks like a kids scooter, rides like a Zoomer’s dream. photo: iliving

I’ve been going to CES for many years and based on my experience, here is the evolution of the accessibility section. About 10 years ago the health arena began to appear featuring exercise machines that became smarter with technology.  The next phase was focused on the concept of healing and how technology was being useful in measuring the process of pain elimination and healing.  The next development was IoT, the Internet of Things, where everything in daily life became connected through an ever-faster 4G and now 5G network.  A couple of years ago AI was introduced, basically, the age of machine learning and 2020 CES was the year that AI became mainstream. This means there are now customized solutions because machines are smarter and can be personalized to the needs of the user. —Laszlo Horvath CEO, Active Media.

Here, the three products you’ll see soon on the streets—and why:

  1. Zooming into the future…that’s how you feel when you test the new Segway S-Pod, a self-balancing wheelchair (also referred to by the company as a scooter or “an egg-shaped wheelchair”). Ok, so the design is a little wonky but it’s a hell of a ride, say people who tried it at 2020 CES.
  2. It’s a GPS. It’s a guide. It’s an alert system. It’s the… SEED Cane, a smart cane designed for blind people that gives the user and a guardian the location and any obstacles in their way as they walk. The cane, which was an honoree at the 2020 CES Innovation Awards, is independently powered, uses infrared signals and vibrations and syncs with smartphones.  
  3. We predict the iLiving V8 will soon achieve icon status among the senior set. The foldable mobility scooter was an honoree at 2020 CES in the accessibility category. The scooter’s sticker price is $4K and its target market is on-the-go seniors who can stash the compact design in the car. It’s lightweight and there are no tools needed so you won’t be needing to send mom and pops links to YouTube for instructions.

Is easyTravelseat the Breakthrough Wheelchair Travelers Have Been Waiting For?

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A woman in her wheelchair on the tarmac happy to be traveling with her EasySeat.

Sure, it’s a seat you can use on the airplane, but it’s so much more. Designed by disabled entrepreneur Josh Wintersgill, who was recently named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the UK,  easyTravelseat, can go with you on outings to the beach, help you to get into a pool with or without the use of a hoist and experience a day touring by car. Boats, hot-air ballooning, and helicoptering aren’t out of the question either.   

Our take: This British entrepreneur is on the cutting edge of a massive movement to make multi-use accessible designs at affordable prices. Of course, safety comes first. This one has gotten the thumbs up from several UK experts and is being praised for how easy it is to use.  

Necessity Was Truly the Mother of Invention for This Launchpad Winner

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illustration of a rocket with the words TravelAbility Launchpad 2019
To learn more about Launchpad, view a summary of the 2019 winners here.

Several years ago Lesli Wang was searching for a portable toilet safety product for her mom, who suffers from a muscle-wasting disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. She uses a commode over her toilet to reduce muscle strain when sitting and lifting, as well as to prevent falls.  While there were many raised toilet seats and toilet safety frames on the market, they were designed for in-home use and did not offer the portability we needed for visiting family and friends, in public restrooms, and when traveling. Wang conceived of a product her mom could carry and use easily to fill the gap in the market. Her savvy helped her to win a Launchpad Emerging Entrepreneur Award this November at TravelAbility Summit in San Francisco. “Launchpad helped me to make a personal connection with a future customer,” said Wang. “Putting faces to names and networking was invaluable for our company.” TravelAbility Insider caught up with Wang after the event for a Q&A:

Q: Why do you think no one else had created a similar product already? 

 It does seem simple—if one needs toilet safety at home, they would certainly need it outside the home. But there’s this misconception that ADA-compliant toilets address the concerns of everyone faced with challenged mobility. That’s incorrect. We saw a gap in the market and our research showed that the vast population using walking aids needs support close to the body to assist with lifting upright from a seated position.  

Q: What’s unique about the Free2Go Rollator design? 
It is designed to incorporate the benefits of a raised toilet seat and toilet safety frame into the walking aid already being used those with challenged mobility.  These benefits, along with being compact, making it ideal for travel. Essentially, someone with limited mobility can safely walk/roll into any bathroom, position the frame over a fixed toilet of any height, lift the padded seat and go—without needing extra help. 

Q: How is it being used in the travel industry?
The Free2Go Rollator has only recently been introduced to the travel industry. But I had realized the need a long time ago when traveling with Mom. We needed to be sure that she could safely use a toilet wherever we were. That meant lugging her cumbersome commode everywhere, including many hotel lobbies. But we did what was necessary at the time.  

Today, I travel frequently aboard cruise ships for business. The number of rollators aboard ship, on the tour buses and in port is quite significant. The numbers are clearly a sign that people are determined to maintain their independence regardless of physical limitations.  

Many of these travelers are using a raised toilet seat in their cabin; however, when out and about the ship, the distance from the ships’ food and entertainment venues to their cabin can be staggering; not a good situation for slow walkers.  The Free2Go Rollator allows them to safely use a toilet in any restroom aboard ship and, most importantly, when in port.  Risking a debilitating fall in a third world country shouldn’t be a worry.

Q: What use case scenarios do you envision for hotels, attractions, and museums?
A: I hear frequently from customers that they are finally able to resume activities independently outside their home. Before they had the product, they told me they thought restaurants with friends or going to theme parks with their grandchildren were all a thing of the past—simply because they could not perform the most basic act of daily living – using the toilet. With the Free2Go Rollator, they have exactly what they need to maintain their safety, independence and, most importantly, their dignity.

Q: What are your primary challenges for growth?

A: Being the sole owner and operator brings many challenges and it is hard to do it all.  To move Free2Go Mobility Products and the Free2Go Rollator forward in 2020, we will be seeking investment capital, as well as partners that offer management, mentoring, marketing and sales expertise. We got a sense of how to prioritize and think strategically about the future of the product through the advice we got at Launchpad.  

Q: What are your key learnings from the TravelAbility Summit?

A: The TravelAbility Summit solidified for me that the accessible travel industry ($17 billion in annual spending) is on the rise. It confirmed my thoughts that individuals, regardless of their limitations, are determined to engage in activities outside the home. Experiencing new things and socializing are key to barrier-free travel.  For all of us participating in the Summit, it was evident that the opportunities for our products and services are very promising. 

headshot of Lesli Wang smiling wearing white collared shirt

1st place winner, Emerging Business, TravelAbility Launchpad
Lesli Wang, Founder and CEO Free2GoMobility

Engineer Invents Gloves That Turn Sign Language into Audible Speech

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The engineer and designer wears the glove he made. He is sitting next to a co-worker. He is dressed casually and smiling.
The engineer who designed the glove says he was inspired to find an easy way to communicate with his niece.

Roy Allela, a 25-year old engineer and inventor from Kenya, has found the ultimate solution to bridging the communication barrier between deaf and hearing people. He has invented the Sign-IO gloves that can translate signed hand movements to audible speech so deaf people can “talk” even to those who don’t understand sign language, according to a post in the blackbusiness.com blog.

OUR TAKE:  Behind almost every great innovation is someone who is touched by disability—a father, an aunt, or in this case an engineering uncle. Allela was inspired to create the gloves because he and his family struggled to communicate with his 6-year-old niece who was born deaf. The unassuming young inventor who works for Intel estimates the glove expected to generate revenue of around $30 billion by end of 2024,” according to Global NewsWire. For us, it’s a good reminder to set the bar higher and higher every day.

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