Assistive technology and power chairs
Everyone uses assistive technology to help them in every day life, such as eye glasses or contacts. Cell phones and laptops are also assistive technology, basically anything that makes your life easier is assistive technology. PathFinder+ a talking keyboard was a very high end assistive technology 20 years ago.
Picking a power chair is like picking a car that you have to live with for the next 10 years. Some power chairs have more assistive technology then others. Some of the newer assistive technology are Bluetooth and Infra Red to control lights, TVs, cell phones, computers. Some of the other important things are seat measurement and the length and height of the power chair. You have to remember everything you do and have to pick the right power chair for yourself. For one example, if you have a min-van and you forgot to take that into consideration, you might have a big problem. Everyone is different and has different needs so you need to test drive and try out the assistive technology before purchasing.
It is helpful to make a list on what is important to you. Here is mine:
- Has a joystick that has Bluetooth to run a computer and a cell phone in any direction like a regular mouse.
- Base dimensions, to get into small areas like my min-van.
- Power seat elevate, tilt, recline.
- Lights.
Invacare have many home medical products including power chairs.
- No mouse emulation included in their joysticks, but you can plug in a different device that makes the joystick do mouse emulation. In June 2017, they suppose to have a new joystick coming out with brand new electronics that will have high tech capabilities that will have true mouse emulation with computers and cell phones and other devices.
- PG Drives Technology makes the Super Joy Joystick has both Infra-Red and Bluetooth using the R-net technology. This Joystick can be use with all most all high end power chairs like the Rovi wheelchair made by Motion Concepts that is owned by Invacare. The Rovi has the narrowest wheelbase in the industry, this might be important if you have a min-van or other small areas.
- Adaptive Switch Laboratories have many different switches including mouse emulation. However, you need to ask if the mouse emulation is scanning or 4 directions or 8 directions or any direction like a regular mouse.
picking power chairs and assistive technology.
Another high end power chair is the Quantum.
- Pride Mobility Products® Corporation manufacturer Jazzy and Quantum power chairs.
- Quantum power chairs has true mouse emulation with the joystick.
I am interested in using Bluetooth to control the mouse on a computer or a cell phone from the joystick controller on the wheelchair.