New electric wheelchair crashes on test but will be available next year

[agate]

This new type of electric wheelchair crashed into a wall during a test but aside from that little episode, which doesn't seem to concern the Segway manufacturers much, what's your opinion of its design?

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More about it here, and it doesn't look as if it's in any way meant for disabled people:

[Virginia]

Looks a little bulky to me, but having never used one I am not a good one to say. I guess in the places it is being designed for it might be alright. It should have a place for luggage if it is going to be used in airports.

[Sunshine]

I might like to drive it, but at slow speeds, like the speed of a normal walker in a store. Not at 24 mph!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Having vast experiences with various styles of wheelchairs (we have 4 of Jon's in our garage waiting to donate), I would not consider this thing a "wheelchair." If it's intended to be marketed to people with disabilities, it fails. It should be tested with people of varying ages with assorted disabling conditions, before it is ever sold as a DME.

Access and egress to it is my first concern for a person with disabilities or an elderly person, who doesn't move as quickly as the young man, who demonstrated it. Seat belt? None visible. The seat has a "suede" padding. That won't cushion a bottom for very long, so duration of use is limited.

The lack of visibility on the side and to the back means that someone could be coming up behind or beside you and run into or sideswipe you. The demonstrator put on a helmet to use the "chair." That's not a good sign. But, if you're going 24 mph in that thing, and it tips over, you could definitely be injured.

Even if it met the criteria of safety for people with disabilities, the cost of it would be prohibitive.

This is just a new toy for people with too much expendable income.

It also reminds me of space invasion and futuristic movies from the 1930s to the 1960s. Or the Jetsons. It's not that those movies were prophetic or visionary. It's that Segway is copying them with this whatever-it-is.

Love & Light,



Rose

[agate]

Exactly, Rose--it's clearly just meant for those who want to have some fun zipping around.

I am a bit concerned though about whether these "wheelchairs" might become so popular and common that they would run some of the the rest of us down. The price might be too high for most people though.

As for the safety belt,

Segway's director of marketing Jeff Wu told the BBC the concept model did not have a safety belt, but that his company intended to add one.

Odd that they didn't think of that before the accident occurred....

[Lazarus]

some of you may remember I was one of the firsts to purchase a Segway. It a phenomenal piece of equipment. A lot of people who were early adopters had post polio syndrome.

My Segway corrected for my balance a hundred times a second. This wheelchair weighs 100’s of pounds....goes 45 miles before needing a charge....very interesting creation but years from having an everyday prototype .i think.

Anyway, go to YouTube and watch videos by doing a search for s-pod. I do not subscribe but use YouTube as I use google search.

[funnylegs4]

I'm all for new science and technology but this is far from being ready for use.