Wheelchair Access Assistant eases wheelchair use

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) – Sitting down in and getting up out of a wheelchair might be about to get easier with Purdue University’s new wheelchair design that incorporates an electric seat lift and integrated walker.

Katherine Frangos, from Conroe, Tex., William Graves, from Huntington, Ind., Kris Miller, from Terre Haute,Ind., and Kimberly Pund, from Ferdinand, Ind. made up the team from Purdue’s School of Mechanical Engineering that created the Wheelchair Access Assistant.

The Wheelchair Access Assistant includes an electrical seat lift and walker, both attached to a traditional wheelchair.

To watch a video of the Wheelchair Access Assistant in action, click here.

Graves pointed out that traditional wheelchairs are designed for moving around, but sitting down or getting up from them can put a strain on caretakers.

The design is meant to easily install onto a conventional wheelchair, just by removing the existing seat rest and armrests and installing the Wheelchair Access Assistant.

Purdue Research Foundation’s Office of Technology Commercialization are looking for partners to development and manufacturing the design. For more information, email innovation@prf.org.