Leveraged Freedom Chair
The Leveraged Freedom Chair is an all-terrain wheelchair made from bicycle parts.[1][2][3]
The chair is developed by a group called Global Research Innovation & Technology. Amos Winter, a PHD graduate from MIT travelled to Tanzania during his work, and found that conventional wheelchairs are inadequate in areas without wheelchair accessible roads and buildings. In addition to a normal wheelchair pushrim, the wheelchair has a lever drivetrain that lets the user grip the lever far from the wheel for high torque on rough terrain.The levers can be removed and stored on the chair, allowing it to be used like a normal wheelchair indoors.[4] The wheelchairs are designed to be produced at low cost from commonly available bicycle parts, and to be repaired and maintained at local bicycle shops.
The chair is sold at around US $250 to NGOs, less than the price of common wheelchairs.[5]
The chair won first place at the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge, won a Wall Street Journal 2010 Technology Innovation Award, won an award at the 2012 MassChallenge and the Patents for Humanity award in 2015.[6][7]
Freedom Chair
The GRIT Freedom Chair is an off-road sports chair designed for the developed world. The product launched on Kickstarter with a lowest price point of US$2,195, which sold out.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "Leveraged Freedom Chair". MIT Video.
- ^ "New Wheelchair Is Easier to Use, Increases Mobility". Voice of America. 27 Mar 2015.
- ^ "Case Study: Leveraged Freedom Chair, by Amos Winter, Jake Childs and Jung Tak Enabling Freedom for the Disabled in Developing Countries". 6 Feb 2011.
- ^ "Leveraged Freedom Chair (LFC) / India - An innovative lever-powered wheelchair for developing countries". Development Lab, MIT.
- ^ a b "The GRIT Freedom Chair takes the wheelchair mountain biking". Gizmag. 15 Nov 2014.
- ^ "Patents for Humanity Awards 2015". United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- ^ "Patents for Humanity Awards Ceremony at the White House". IP Watchdog Blog. 20 April 2015.