[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/sk\/article\/modal\/9090\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n        \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n  \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESmart tech gives a new spin on the classic wheelchair\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether manual or electric powered, wheelchairs have undoubtedly improved the lives of millions of people who have difficulties in walking. Today, the same digital technologies that are changing the way we live, work, get around and interact \u2013 artificial intelligence, 3D printing, internet of things, voice activation \u2013 are also being applied to the wheelchair industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There is a lot of research now that demonstrates how state-of-the-art technology can enable disabled persons become more independent,\u2019 said Manuel Lai, co-founder of IRIS, a leading SME specialised in developing innovative technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is good news for those with reduced mobility, especially if living in urban centres. Despite many important advancements over the past decade, mobility challenges continue to prevent disabled persons from participating in society on equal terms.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA self-driving pay-as-you-use approach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We need mobility solutions for disabled and elderly people that promote their social inclusion in urban environments and allow them to move around easily without the need for help,\u2019 said Lai.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs coordinator of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/768908\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFreeWheel\u003C\/a\u003E project, he spent more than a year studying the needs and requirements of wheelchair users, developing a solution designed specifically for urban environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EWe need mobility solutions for disabled and elderly people that promote their social inclusion in urban environments and allow them to move around easily without the need for help\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EManuel Lai, IRIS co-founder and coordinator of the FreeWheel project\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe result is a smart module combining electric power and autonomous driving in a flexible design that can be adapted to any wheelchair. The smart module enables a manual wheelchair to be driven through a special app.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The user simply sets the destination on the wheelchair app, and the wheelchair gets there all on its own, adapting the route to avoid any fixed or mobile obstacles,\u2019 explained Lai.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the technology itself is pioneering in the wheelchair industry, the business model is perhaps the most innovative aspect of FreeWheel. \u2018Traditional business models for wheelchairs are based on the sale of the device and therefore on its possession,\u2019 said Lai. \u2018This implies an initial investment, which can act as a barrier and leaves most of the cost of ownership to the end user.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBased on principles of the collaborative economy, Lai plans to roll out a pay-per-use approach much like we see with cars and bicycles in many European countries.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis means that the cost of a wheelchair is covered through subscriptions that users pay when they use it, making it ideal for renting on a needs basis at a mall or at a tourist site, explains Lai.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimple yet brilliant\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMotorisation and the addition of new smart technologies has reinvented the wheelchair, and significantly improves the experience for wheelchair users.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBut innovation can also be \u201clow-tech\u201d, as in the case of the Hungarian developers who were inspired by the humble bicycle.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIt all began with Stringbike, a small company in Hungary. Ten years ago, they created a stir in the cycling world when they unveiled their innovative chain-free bicycle, in which the traditional bicycle chain is replaced by a rope and pulley system.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Normally used in sailing, the string makes for a quiet, oil-free and smoother cycling experience,\u2019 explained J\u00f3zsef Kakas of Stringbike.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018One of our customers was a doctor who suffered from knee problems, and he told us it was easier for him to ride a Stringbike than a conventional bicycle because he experienced less pain. So this inspired us to use our technology for medical purposes.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFast-forward to 2019 when their innovative small and medium sized (SME) company secured Horizon 2020 funding for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/859529\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESTRINGHANDBIKE\u003C\/a\u003E project. The project focusses on three new products designed specifically for people with mobility challenges: Stringchair, StringHandbike and a tricycle, all based on the company\u2019s proprietary string-pulley solution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EThere are some wheelchair users who cannot reach back with their arms to touch the wheel in the traditional manual wheelchair, but who would be able to use a lever in front of them\r\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EJ\u00f3zsef Kakas, Sales Head at STRINGBIKE\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThey found that with a traditional manual wheelchair, the user\u2019s arms are under a lot of stress. Reaching behind to propel the chair forward causes shoulder pain. In the three STRINGBIKE creations, the user\u2019s arms reach forward, and the wheelchair is powered by the pushing and pulling of a lever. This reduces the force applied on the shoulder joints compared to standard manual wheelchairs.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018There are some wheelchair users who cannot reach back with their arms to touch the wheel in the traditional manual wheelchair but who would be able to use a lever in front of them,\u2019 said Kakas. \u2018So a larger group of people with mobility challenges will be able to use our products manually.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Stringchair and StringHandbike are available as kits to attach to a wheelchair, so that all the functions of the traditional wheelchair are maintained. They can be used both indoor and outdoor, and as a medical device for everyday use. The Stringchair is now a registered medical device in the European Union, a step that will soon follow for the StringHandbike.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether powered by apps or strings, wheelchair technology is constantly improving. The FreeWheel and STRINGBIKE solutions are just two examples of how disability-inclusive development is breaking down barriers to social inclusion for millions of disabled persons.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022text-center bg-bluelightest p-12 my-12 -mx-16\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Ch3 class=\u0022font-sans font-bold text-blue uppercase text-lg mb-8\u0022\u003EReinventing the wheel, in style\u003C\/h3\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022inline-block w-1\/6 h-1 bg-blue mb-8\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp\u003EIf you think you know what a wheelchair looks like \u2013 think again!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIrish sisters Ailbhe and Izzy Keane are literally reinventing the wheel, working with international brands to design creative and colourful wheel covers for wheelchairs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInspired by her sister, who was born with spina bifida and is paralysed from the waist down, Ailbhe founded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.izzywheels.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIzzyWheels\u003C\/a\u003E in 2019, a creative enterprise that sees wheelchairs as a canvas for self-expression and creativity. That same year, they teamed up with Barbie to create a range of designs for a new and inclusive wheelchair Fashionista Doll.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEach pair of Izzy Wheels is specially made to order. All wheel covers are unique, and every order is carefully hand-wrapped in beautiful luxury rainbow packaging.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFeatured in some of the world\u2019s top publications \u2013 from Vogue to Forbes \u2013 the sisters have won more than a dozen awards.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two sisters also recently won the Rising Innovator category of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eic.ec.europa.eu\/news\/winners-eu-prize-women-innovators-2021-announced-2021-11-25_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEU Prize for Women Innovators 2021\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We cannot begin to describe what an enormous honour this is. The prize recognizes the most innovative female entrepreneurs under the age of 30. We\u2019ve poured our hearts and souls into building Izzy Wheels over the past 5\u0026nbsp;years, so this kind of recognition feels very emotional and surreal! We really love and care about Izzy Wheels and everything it represents. Today was such a special day that we will remember forever,\u2019 the sisters posted on the Izzy Wheels Facebook account.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n            \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n      Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-o-kqppz3e7tm0kc-wyvkklnilhqsvj1m-ua8odtmga0\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-O-kQppZ3e7Tm0kC_wyvkKlnIlhQsvj1m_ua8OdTmgA0\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]