TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Technology

Are Solar-Powered Wheelchairs Going To Be The Next Big Thing?

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Solar power has become an important source of energy production, with an expanding set of use cases. A number of power wheelchair manufacturers already sell solar panel attachments, and one research report suggests that the market is primed for significant expansion.

According to the report, a solar powered wheelchair project designed by the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering took home the prize at the World Cerebral Palsy Day. The student-designed system, utilizing solar panel technology, was able to increase the battery range by over 40%.

This is where most research is focused – to use solar panels to extend the range of power wheelchairs. The report suggests that research “undertaken to combine electric and solar powered wheelchairs to increase the runtime will eventually attract industry players towards commercializing these wheelchairs.”

OUR TAKE: Solar panels are expensive, and the cost of the technology will have to become more affordable in order for solar attachments to reach the mass market. Whether the research bears fruit or not, it is exciting to see efforts being made to equip wheelchairs for what we hope will be a greener, more accessible future.

To read the research report, click here.

New Product: A weather-proof, foldable electric wheelchair will debut at LaunchPad

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Folding electric wheelchair with a slate-colored metal frame.

The TravelAbility Summit’s LaunchPad event shines a light on new products that can make a difference in the accessible travel market. A new product, the FOLD & GO MagSHOCK wheelchair, will debut at LaunchPad later this year.

The portable wheelchair features a magnesium frame and is 100% weather-proof, meaning its users will have the freedom to operate the mobility device in rain, sleet or snow. Despite its compact size, the chair is powerful, capable of handling rough terrain and hills with a slope of up to 25 degrees.

To learn more about this new wheelchair, click here.

The World’s First Detachable Wheelchair Wheel Makes Transfers Easier and Safer

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Wheelchair wheel with a piece of about one-third size removed.

Trivida is a new wheel for manual wheelchairs which makes it possible to transfer to and from the chair in a barrier-free fashion. The wheel’s triatec technology makes it possible to detach a portion of the wheel to enable safe, lateral transfers between the wheelchair and an external surface, such as a bed, toilet, sofa.

OUR TAKE: Trivida’s new design will make transferring easier and could enable manual wheelchair users to remain in their chairs longer, postponing the transition to a powered mobility device. The innovative triatec technology solves a major pain point and should improve wheelers’ quality of life.

To learn more, visit the Trivida website.

3 Digital Experience Whizzes Deliberate the Future of Inclusive Design

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Wheelchair user at desk using computer to communicate with someone.

We live in a digital world, and a lack of accessibility in the websites, apps and digital products we use can cause many people to be left out.

A recent discussion hosted by digital design company InVision can help us all understand what designing for accessibility looks like in the digital world and why it is important for companies to do so in the future. Participants in this InVision Talk include Jake Abma (accessibility lead at ING, UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ambassador, and Accessibility Guidelines Working Group member), Tom Smith (design lead at Aviva), and Soren Hamby (InVision’s design advocate, who is completing their masters in UX with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility).

To watch the talk and learn more about digital accessibility and design, click here.

Genius Bus App Shows Wheelchair Space Availability

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a smartphone with a pink and blue app that shows where spaces are free and how many

Advisory Board Member John Morris of Wheelchair Travel is always ahead of the news when it comes to accessible travel. His most recent find? An app that shows where wheelchair spots are available on local buses. While it’s still only in Europe, we see a groundswell of accessible technology solutions coming to the states soon. 

OUR TAKE: Advancing accessible transportation— what better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act? Learn more, here.

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