John.Lynch@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (John Lynch) (12/14/90)
Index Number: 12503
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
* Original: AREA.... MEDCENTER
* Original: FROM.... John Lynch
* Original: TO...... Alan Hess
* Forwarded by...... Maximus-CBCS v1.02 at 1:261/1000.0
Well, over at Social Security Admin, they have me riding ij a
wheelchair,
alias the TANK, that can climb steps, rais and lower the occupant,
and move at 6mph. Today I made my first visit to the steps. You
back up the steps, and go forward down the steps. They were
supprised when I wanted to go up, rather then down, but that flight
of steps looks long coming up to it. It has sonar sensors that
will let the chair know when it is on the edge of the steps. You
hit a witch, and stacks lower dwon and lifts the chair up off the
for regular wheels. The sensor then lower lift bars to keep you
from going over backwards in the transition to the stairs and the
seat tilts backwards. As you start to go up the steps,, the seat
repostions to the proper positionh for your body. And up you go
backwards. Usually the treds slip once or twice, which turns you
cold, but up you go. But then there is comming down the steps. Yo
drive till about three inches from the lip, feels as if you are
already falling down them, and lower the treds. then you move
forward till the sensors reposition the chair seat a device comes
down in the front to keep the chair from dropping hard into the
treds and throwing you out, then the interesting part, you suddenly
tip forward, do it in your pants :-), heart goes into throat, and
down the steps you go. You have to steer to keep the chair going
down the steps straight, or keep on on the curve of the steps if
they curve. It works, it does work, it does draw a crowd, it does
cost $20,000, but it is not on the market yet. This 510 lb beast
is having its road test evaluated by Food and Drug Admin, you do
need a prescription. Once that is completed it should be in the
market. Any\one interersted in this beast should write Quest
Technologies, 766 Palomar Ave., Sunnyvale CA. 94086-9716, Fax
408-7391806,,voice 408-739-3550. They do have an east coast rep in
D.C. Ed Grant at (301)268-2364 (in Annapolis, Md 31403). More
stories if I live through Jan 14th. What I wont do in the service
of my country. And they think the guys in Saudia Arabia have it
dangerious. Regards, John
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000!John.Lynch
Internet: John.Lynch@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.orgJohn.Lynch@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (John Lynch) (12/21/90)
Index Number: 12554
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
* Original: AREA.... MEDCENTER
* Original: FROM.... John Lynch
* Original: TO...... Alan Hess
* Forwarded by...... Maximus-CBCS v1.02 at 1:261/1000.0
Well, over at Social Security Admin, they have me riding ij a wheelchair,
alias the TANK, that can climb steps, rais and lower the occupant, and
move at 6mph. Today I made my first visit to the steps. You back up
the steps, and go forward down the steps. They were supprised when I
wanted to go up, rather then down, but that flight of steps looks long
coming up to it. It has sonar sensors that will let the chair know when
it is on the edge of the steps. You hit a witch, and stacks lower dwon
and lifts the chair up off the for regular wheels. The sensor then
lower lift bars to keep you from going over backwards in the transition
to the stairs and the seat tilts backwards. As you start to go up the
steps,, the seat repostions to the proper positionh for your body. And
up you go backwards. Usually the treds slip once or twice, which turns
you cold, but up you go. But then there is comming down the steps. Yo
drive till about three inches from the lip, feels as if you are already
falling down them, and lower the treds. then you move forward till the
sensors reposition the chair seat a device comes down in the front to
keep the chair from dropping hard into the treds and throwing you out,
then the interesting part, you suddenly tip forward, do it in your pants
:-), heart goes into throat, and down the steps you go. You have to
steer to keep the chair going down the steps straight, or keep on on the
curve of the steps if they curve. It works, it does work, it does draw
a crowd, it does cost $20,000, but it is not on the market yet. This
510 lb beast is having its road test evaluated by Food and Drug
Admin, you do need a prescription. Once that is completed it should be
in the market. Any\one interersted in this beast should write
Quest Technologies, 766 Palomar
Ave., Sunnyvale CA. 94086-9716, Fax 408-7391806,,voice 408-739-3550.
They do have an east coast rep in D.C. Ed Grant at (301)268-2364 (in
Annapolis, Md 31403). More stories if I live through Jan 14th. What I
wont do in the service of my country. And they think the guys in Saudia
Arabia have it dangerious.
Regards, John
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000!John.Lynch
Internet: John.Lynch@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.orgJoe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Chamberlain) (12/21/90)
Index Number: 12570
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
JL> they have me riding ij a wheelchair,
JL> alias the TANK, that can climb steps,
Sound scary. What about muscle spasms? I would think
the bouncing and nervous tension might set off some severe
spasms.
-=joe=-
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!150!140!Joe.Chamberlain
Internet: Joe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.orgJohn.Lynch@f662.n261.z1.fidonet.org (John Lynch) (12/21/90)
Index Number: 12572
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
The chair is only 25 inches wide, but is a little longer then a regular chair.
It needs a lottle room to get lined up with the steps before you go up or
down. It is suppose to work on most any step surface, including over carpet,
as long as it is well tacked down. It might wear the bottem step carpet edge
out without a corner cover becouse often one grip on the track slips when
going up the stairs.
Well, for those reading, I have findly learned to let up on the joy stick just
as the EZ device startes to tip the chair down the steps. Makes for a little
less thrilling ride, thank God!
Regards, John
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!662!John.Lynch
Internet: John.Lynch@f662.n261.z1.fidonet.orgJohn.Lynch@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (John Lynch) (12/21/90)
Index Number: 12580
[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]
JC> Sound scary. What about muscle spasms? I would think
JC> the bouncing and nervous tension might set off some severe
JC> spasms.
Well, they have got you covered going down the steps. It the chair
squews more then 17 degrees, it stops going in that direction and you
have to steer it back down the steps. It is \only rough and bouncy at
the top, and really bad at the bottom. But the chair stops
automatically so that the seat can right itself and the EZ Down bar can
be raised. So you should have time to recover. The main complaint is
that in high speed the stick looses fine control and you have to yank
your hand off to stop and then get going again under control. There is
no hard metal and rubber protection for most of the fiberglass body, and
that can be a major problem to a $25k toy. I have just had my first set
of comments faxed to Sunnyvale, where the company is. The O.T., who is
excellent, fully agrees with me on the need for rubber bumpers to
absoirb that kind of impact and to do such things as to shove doors
open.
I am getting more use to the down the stairs transition. My nuckles
still turn white as I grip the stick, but my heart is not flying up into
my throat. But everyone who watches it the first time says they have to
restrain themselves from reaching out to grab me as I go over the first
step. The only way to describe it is to think of going over the first
big hill of a good roller coaster. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Regards, John
--
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