When the iBot made its first appearance 16 years ago, a lot of people got really excited. We hadn’t seen anything like this motorized wheelchair with its special features; not the least of which was the fact that the user could be elevated to the eye level of a standing person.
More than allowing people with disabilities to entertain more natural communication with those walking alongside the chair, the iBot also came with the impressive ability to tackle uneven terrain.
The multi-wheel machine did not stumble at steps either, offering its users a new level of independence they had never experienced before. But a pretty big obstacle stood in the way of making the iBot a success: the cost.
At $25,000, the motorized wheelchair came with a prohibitive price tag that eventually forced the company to halt production in 2009.
But count on inventor Dean Kamen to not give up on his dream of taking the iBot to the larger public. Even though he moved on to create the Segway – using similar balancing technology – Kamen was convinced there was a way for the wheelchair to give freedom to people with disabilities.
As a matter of fact, Kamen just announced a new partnership with Japanese automaker Toyota, which he hopes will be a second shot at making the iBot a viable alternative to the traditional wheelchair.
“I’m happy to tell you that our goal is to bring back the iBot,” Kamen said in a video (below) that was posted online on Sunday. “We’d like to take everything that was great about the original iBot and then enhance it with 15 years of improvements in technology.”
In the video, the iBot is shown riding on uneven terrain, climbing stairs, and crossing thresholds with no trouble at all, which proves Kamen’s point that the machine could give people more of the freedom, flexibility, and independence they need.
The partnership is meant to combine DEKA’s vision with Toyota’s expertise and experience in mobility technology. The Japanese company also hopes to use the development of Kamen’s company in balancing technologies for “medical rehabilitative therapy and potentially other purposes.”
Even though Kamen has yet to reveal details about the availability of the second-generation iBot – or about its new price – Toyota’s support represents a significant step toward making the machine a reality for more people who need it.
Image Source: YouTube
