A Turkish company called AMS Mekatronic has developed a next-generation wheelchair that allows its user to stand and move around whenever he or she wants. Dubbed as the Tek Robot Mobilization Device, the machine is based on the Segway concept that helps handicapped people perform tasks at home and even outdoors, such as going to the office or shopping.
"We've developed a device that enables paralysed people to move through narrow passages, sit on a chair like you and I do, use the washrooms that we use, wash their hands and do their own shopping," Necati Hacikadiroglu, the leader of the team that designed the RMD, told Digital Trends. "It provides them with the opportunity to live in places not designed for paralysed people."
The Tek RMD has already helped several users not just increase their mobility, but also attain freedom and confidence. "That self-confidence, that ability to be recognized as an adult standing, the mental element of looking eye-to-eye to somebody is a tremendous mental and moral accomplishment," said Bill Winchester, who was paralyzed because of a biking accident, according to CBS News.
The wheelchair is also convenient for users due to its shape and size. Its construction features a spring that allows users to easily move their bodies into the wheelchair, in addition to standing and moving around using a joystick, ABC News reported. The wheelchair's compact construction also allows paraplegics access to 90 percent of their home. Watch it in action below:
The Tek RMD wheelchair is now available in the U.S. for $15,000 to $20,000.
