Page 12 - Mobility Management, November 2017

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Avid Rehab Invests in CRT
extremely efficient motors. We’re getting 24 miles per charge on a hard, flat surface.
“We’ve got the clinical functionality that our provider partners have come to expect from our competitors as it relates to tilt and recline functionality, shear reduc- tion recline, center of gravity tilt. If you want power articulating foot platforms, 6" of articulation. So, all of the clinical functionality that they need, along with the electronic capabilities and the reliability and durability of our motors.”
The Vector has been in Europe for a few years, and industry veteran Chris Blackmore, Avid’s national director of business and product development, identified adjust- ments that would make the power chair more friendly to the American market. The Vector’s seat width goes from 16" to 22", with depths of 16-20".
While Jones wouldn’t rule out an eventual expansion into other segments of rehab, such as pediatrics, he said right now, the Avid division will focus on the adult mobility market, which he called the company’s wheelhouse.
“Our market research tells us where our customers want us to be, and we feel like that’s where our experience is, in particular as we get out of the gate with this divi- sion,” he explained. “I think there’s still a lot of opportunity in this space to bring clinically functional, highly reliable, economically sound product, and we feel we’re building the team to be able to do that.”
Investing in the Future of CRT
In its first year, Avid has taken part in educational sessions at VGM’s Heartland conference, and supports CRT organizations, Jones said, including NCART and RESNA.
“We take complex rehab extremely seriously, and we feel we have to be very good stewards of this industry,” he explained. “We’re extremely excited about this part- nership with VGM and U.S. Rehab. Although we’re new to this space, we feel we need to jump in with both feet.”
Said Packer, “Avid made extra efforts at Heartland to help put on the education conference, and they made extra efforts at ISS [International Seating Symposium] through NCART and through U.S. Rehab by sponsoring certain items. They’re obviously learning, as any new emerging market effort would have a learning curve. But they have the background and knowledge with Dave and Chris to understand how manufacturing is done and understand the needs out there.
“Avid has a quality product that does meet all of the requirements that CMS has to be in the category of a Group 3 chair that can have all of the ancillary acces- sories put on it and operate in an efficient manner and give the therapeutic value needed for the patient.”
“Our sales have ramped up dramatically,” Jones confirmed, “and we’ve seen a huge welcome reception for this product in the market. I think the wheelbase of the chair has really helped us out of the gate.” m
University of Pittsburgh Seeks Consumer Input for Study
The University of Pittsburgh and its Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) are seeking input for a study on assistive mobility devices — and consumers who use complex rehab technology can help.
The study is called “Identifying Unmet Wheelchair Related Needs and the Future of Mobility Technology.”
In a bulletin to the industry, Rory Cooper, Ph.D., said the survey “aims to find out what assistive mobility devices you currently use and what you think about devices that may be available in the future. The results of this study will be used to guide our future research and develop- ment efforts.”
The survey’s introduction says, “This is a research study
to collect information from individuals that use mobility related assistive technology to see whether the issues that we think are important are also important to you.”
Study participation is open to people who are at least 18 years old and use one or more mobility devices, such as canes, walkers, manual or power wheelchairs, scooters, or lower-extremity prostheses.
Cooper noted that the survey takes less than 15 minutes to complete. Access it by going to http://tiny.cc/ mobilitytech. The survey will be available to take through the end of 2017. The University of Pittsburgh and HERL hope to enroll up to 2,000 participants to take part in the study. m
— Laurie Watanabe
10 NOVEMBER2017|MOBILITYMANAGEMENT
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