Page 20 - Mobility Management, March 2020

Technology Series
Robotics & CRT
Large manufacturers like Permobil
have also been on the forefront, with the company’s “connected chair” integrating
a tool called Virtual Seating Coach. Ding and other researchers at the University
of Pittsburgh developed the technology, which allows patients to monitor how they use power seat functions and learn how to properly take advantage of those functions.
But Ding and her fellow robotic engi- neers are also some of the first to note the limitations of this technology to fit all users, as well as the challenges that come with high costs due to lack of insurance coverage and the limited market for CRT products.
“People with disabilities are so diverse, and it’s really hard to have one model fits all, and on the other hand, [products] are expensive and we have all these policy issues,” Ding said. “It makes it really hard to make this technology mainstream.”
There’s still work that needs to be done, particularly with how technology can address how people in wheelchairs transfer from one surface to another,
Ding said. However, Viswanathan and Moore both pointed to technologies that are not currently being utilized to their full potential for people with disabilities, including computer vision.
“I think that’s where there’s room for growth, for us to re-look at stuff that hasn’t been touched for many years, and say: Is there low-hanging fruit in this world of robotics that allows something to be drawn out and be directly, immediately applicable to the needs of this commu- nity?” Moore said.
For Ding, the issue comes down to challenges with educating end users, their families and even clinicians about the tech- nology that is out there. Even with smart home automation technology, it’s difficult for people without a technological background to navigate a confusing landscape of new models and differing reliability, she said.
“The education of the users needs to be somehow together with the technology development,” Ding said. “In one of the projects I have right now, we want to see
how this smart home technology can be used by the user and if they continue
to use it. A lot of times, you give them something and they use it once, twice, and they may not use it again. There must be something wrong.”
Products incorporating robotic tech- nology will continue to come down the pipeline, including the kind of automa- tion already available in the automotive industry, Viswanathan said. But it’s crucial for engineers, providers and clinicians to realize that a wheelchair is not a car, and many end users view it as an extension of themselves, she added.
“I think that’s really where the work needs to be done,” Viswanathan said. “I don’t think it’s really about pumping out new technologies. I think where the work needs to be done is really in making sure there is more communication and conver- sation going on between the end users and the people who are developing these prod- ucts and sharing those lived experiences to create more empathetic designers.” m
Resources: Tomorrow’s Technology, Available Today
For more information on the innovations discussed in this article (and some tech history as well), check out these resources.
Braze Mobility
Blind-spot sensors for wheelchairs
https://brazemobility.com https://brazemobility.com/collections/all-products
Obi Dining System
Robotic feeding device
https://meetobi.com
Permobil
Virtual Seating Coach for powered seating
https://permobilus.com/product/connect-vsc/
ReWalk Exoskeleton
A wearable robotic exoskeleton with powered hip and knee motion for standing and walking https://rewalk.com
Toyota North America
Toyota Signs Agreement to Develop Next- Generation iBOT PWC https://tinyurl.com/mmtoyotadeka
Evergreen Circuits
Independence Drive eye-controlled power wheelchair driving system https://evergreencircuits.com
iBOT Power Wheelchair (Independence Technology)
Independence Technology Discontinues the iBOT https://tinyurl.com/mmibotdiscontinued
iBOT (Mobius Mobility)
The current home of the iBOT
https://mobiusmobility.com
Obi dining robot
iBOT at Toyota’s 2016 announcement.
18 MARCH2020|MOBILITYMANAGEMENT MobilityMgmt.com