Motorized Wheel Chair

Just a few notes on how life has become more accessible for people with motorized wheelchairs.

For millions of  people who experience certain types of disabilities, the wheelchair has come as a boon. Many of these people who just cannot imagine life without their wheelchairs. With rapid advances in technology, such as solar powered wheelchairs or wheelchairs which can be controlled by the tongue, wheelchairs have become more user-friendly and help people having problems with walking, to lead as normal a life as possible. One’s daily life has been made more accessible.  Motorized wheelchairs have come as great news to those with disabilities, since they are easy to operate and maneuver. A typical day in the life of someone who uses a motorized wheelchair, although somewhat restrictive, can now begin with the ability to perform the daily tasks with less difficulty. The rapid advances in technology have meant that wheelchairs these days come with a host of features.

Commuting to work is one thing that has become a lot easier with the advent of the modern day powered wheelchairs. With motorized  wheelchairs, going to work has become a lot easier and there are organizations that also provide transit for wheel chair users. Similarly, people can also move about, near their homes and afar with ease, thanks to city planners that have made sidewalks and buildings wheelchair accessible. Whether it is going out for a breath of the fresh morning air or taking a ride around a garden or park, all these small things, which mean a lot to all people, have become a lot simpler.

Then there are portable wheelchairs.  Many of the latest motorized wheel chair models are portable enough to be folded and packed inside a car enabling people to travel and get around the city more easily. Many of the latest models also come with sophisticated technology in the form of software applications. You can now program your wheelchair to do certain functions. For example, adjusting the seat height or changing the recline of the seat are all now possible, with just a click of a button.

First, let’s make this clear, I didn’t even know that such a thing existed as a solar powered wheelchair. Then on my daily reading of the news I found this post on the site www.emirates247.com about a guy named Haider Taleb from the United Arab Emirates who is trying to break a record with his solar-powered wheelchair using his chair that is not limited in distance because it relies upon the power from the sun.

He’s planning to travel 125km in 14 hours an win a Guinness world record. He invented the solar powered wheelchair. The four 20 watt batteries of this wheelchair are powered through solar panels and the raw energy of the sun.

I’m seeing a lot these days in the news about people who are not limited by what is perceived as a “handicap.” From my previous post on a modern day hero to our wheelchair athletes in the Olympics. Seems the only thing that limits us is ourselves. Don’t let it happen.

The posting that follows is written by Keith J Fernandez.

From Abu Dhabi to Sharjah in a wheelchair!

solar powered wheelchair

Haider Taleb will spend 14 hours going from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah in a Guiness attempt tomorrow
On Thursday, Haider Taleb will attempt to set a new world record for the greatest distance travelled in a solar-powered wheelchair.

The UAE national, who wants to raise awareness of the uses of renewable energy, will set off from Masdar City at 6am, travelling across three emirates to arrive at Sharjah’s Al Thiqa Club for the Handicapped at an estimated time of 8pm.
That makes it a distance of over 125 kilometres in 14 hours, and Taleb hopes it will be enough to win a Guinness World Record.

“Setting the record is an important milestone as it underscores how technological innovation can improve lives and demonstrates the raw power that can be harnessed from the sun,” he said, posting on his Twitter page on Wednesday that he aimed to travel a minimum of 100km on his journey.

“While crossing the finish line is the ultimate goal, the journey is equally as important. I want to show the world the advantage of a solar-powered wheelchair, and highlight the hope and encouragement it brings to people with reduced mobility,” he added.

Taleb presented the first version of the wheelchair, which he invented, to the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) in January.

His chair scores over traditional electric wheelchairs because the solar power source frees its user from geographical limits. Electric wheelchairs must be charged regularly, but the overhead solar cells on Taleb’s chair automatically charge the chair’s batteries on exposure to sunlight. His publicists say the panels are powerful enough to charge four 20w batteries.

The next step of his plan to spotlight solar energy is an attempt to travel across the seven emirates that make up the UAE. He will begin that challenge on November 22, and hopes to finish in time for UAE National Day on December 2.

Taleb is being supported by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy initiative.