A wheelchair that can climb STAIRS could hit the market by the end of 2018. Scewo is the brainchild of a group of masters students from Switzerland. Rigid rubber tracks allow the chair to safely travel up and down staircases. Users will be able to control the chair simply by shifting their body weight. The Scewo chair uses rubber tracks to navigate staircases, and the tracks' rigid base means the chair is stable even on spiral stair cases.
The project was started by five masters students from two universities - the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Zurich University of the Arts.
The interdisciplinary team was part of a group of ten bachelors students who built a prototype version of the chair - called Scalevo.
After completing their studies, the entrepreneurial engineers decided to spend their spare time working on a demonstration version.
Among them are the two fearless test drivers - Josep and Basil - who are both paraplegic and can give the rest of the team direct feedback about the chair.
They have named the new chair Scewo and are now hoping to create a finished product which can be mass produced.
The group says that while technology has progressed in leaps and bounds, the basic wheelchair design has remained the same.
Their aim is to use new the latest in electronics and aesthetic design to develop a wheelchair from scratch, more suited to life in the 21st century.
Users will be able to control the chair with a joystick or simply by shifting their body weight.
It features both wheels and tracks to allow the chair to overcome all manner of obstacles.
Various mode settings will ensure the user's safety when stationary, on slippery surfaces and steep inclines.
The chair will even lift them up to reach objects above their reach or simply to allow for more comfortable eye-contact during conversation.
Self-balancing technology also enables the chair to turn on the spot, as well as to mount curbs without getting stuck.
Its wheels are large enough to traverse obstacles while the compact size allows it to fit trough all standard doors and maneuver easily.
Rubber tracks allow for a smooth and safe ride on staircases and the tracks' rigid wide base means the chair is stable even on spiral stair cases.
Climbing on and off stairs is automated through the push of a button.
Music: The Inventor by Dhruva Aliman
https://dhruvaaliman.bandcamp.com/album/king-neptunes-travelling-merchants-and-their-adventures-in-and-beyond-the-sea
http://www.dhruvaaliman.com/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5XiFCr9iBKE6Cupltgnlet
