Wheelchairs

Science

This Incredibly Innovative Wheelchair Is Controlled By Your Face

1:52AM October 18, 2011 | Brent Rose

We’ve built wheelchairs for people who cannot move their hands, but many of these required the ability to turn the head, which not everyone can do. This design only requires control of the facial muscles, and it makes me flex my smile. More »

Geek Out

Row, Row Row Your… Wheelchair

3:40AM October 13, 2011 | Andrew Liszewski

Fitness types have long known about the health advantages of rowing. But it turns out that forward and back motion also makes for a big improvement when it comes to manually propelled wheelchairs. More »

News

Airline Takes Apart Dude’s Wheelchair, Gives Him Back Pieces

4:20AM August 19, 2011 | Sam Biddle

US Federal rules state clearly that wheelchairs may be taken apart during a flight in order to save room. But they also say they’ll be put back together. Except when they’re not. Then you’re kinda screwed. More »

Science

IntelliWheels AGS Shifts The Wheelchair Into A Higher Gear

1:00AM July 25, 2011 | Jack Loftus

Scott Daigle, a graduate engineering student at the University of Illinois, looked at the wheelchair, then at the bicycle, and then back at the wheelchair and asked “Why not a gear system on a wheelchair?” Then he built one. More »

Science

Tongue Piercings Can Steer Wheelchairs

11:00AM June 9, 2011 | Casey Chan

Researchers have tested a tongue piercing that’ll allow paralysed people to steer their wheelchairs in any direction. All they have to do is move their tongue a specific direction and the wheelchair will follow. More »

News

A Horrible Person Stole This Dog’s Wheelchair

12:20AM June 8, 2011 | Casey Chan

Lucky, a 12-year-old Belgian Shepherd, lost the use of his hind legs years ago when he was hit by a car. The only way he could get around was by using a dog wheelchair. Some jackass stole that wheelchair. More »

Geek Out

Motorising A Manual Wheelchair With A Friggin’ Lawnmower

12:00AM April 26, 2011 | Brian Barrett

The problem with naming our tools is that we tend to pigeonhole them. Case in point: who says a lawnmower is strictly for mowing lawns? Especially when it’s clearly equally well suited to the business of playing mighty steed to your manual wheelchair chariot. More »

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The Wheelchair Of The Future Is Like A Bicycle Rowboat

5:40AM February 9, 2011 | Casey Chan

The problem with current wheelchairs? They’re not versatile enough for developing countries’ unpaved roads, steep hillsides and generally handicap unfriendly buildings. Enter the Leveraged Freedom Chair, a more powerful wheelchair controlled by levers that moves like a mountain bike. More »

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Man Told His Tank-Resembling All-Terrain Wheelchair Can’t Be Used

2:00AM January 22, 2011 | Kat Hannaford

Jim Starr’s wheelchair may be able to transport him across snow, sand and surf (and probably even the surface of the moon), but he won’t be wheelin’ it on British roads any longer because it’s been classed as a tank. More »

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Life’s Like A Road That You Travel On

10:20AM January 8, 2011 | John Herrman

With all the product announcements, press conferences, events and exhibits to cover at CES, we almost missed the most important item of the day. Almost. A meme has achieved perfection. More »