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This wheelchair can fit inside a supermini

The Revolve Air’s clever wheel design makes it possible

This wheelchair's design is weird but very clever. PHOTO FROM REVOLVE

When you live with people with disabilities, their condition often influences the type of car you buy. And that’s good when you have the means to acquire something big enough for a wheelchair, or if you can afford to get a specialized vehicle like the Maxus G10 Assist. But what if all you have at your disposal is a supermini that cannot accommodate a regular wheelchair?

The Revolve Air is compact enough to fit inside an aircraft’s overhead compartment. PHOTO FROM REVOLVE

No problem. The Revolve Air is a portable wheelchair that can literally fit where no other wheelchair has fitted before. It was named that way as this mobility device was originally designed to be placed inside the overhead bins on commercial aircraft. And if your hand-carry trolley bag is compact enough to fit inside an airliner’s luggage compartment, then there should be no trouble bringing this along for a ride in your city runabout.

See how the wheel allows this wheelchair to be folded. ANIMATIONS FROM REVOLVE

The brilliant component in the Revolve Air’s design is the wheel. In regular wheelchairs, the large wheels often pose a problem, since (unlike the seat) they cannot be folded or bent. The product’s 24-inch wheel solves that by splitting into segments like a pizza and transforming into a cylinder just like an umbrella. Both folded wheels and the retractable front casters stow neatly into the seat base, reducing the thing to a compact capsule.

The inventor claims that the wheelchair saves up to 60% of space compared to a folded regular PWD chair. Since it can be carried onboard the passenger cabin, travelers can apparently save time at the airport by not having to check in any bulky belongings. Another benefit is that the need to buy a larger vehicle just to be able to transport a wheelchair may be eliminated.

When stowed, the thing is small enough for your city car. PHOTO FROM REVOLVE

Perhaps one obvious disadvantage of the Revolve Air is the lack of back and thigh support, which could make it uncomfortable or unsuitable for taller patients or those who have back problems. But this unique wheelchair is still in its prototype stages, so a larger version could be in the works. For sure, devices like this will surely improve the quality of life of the handicapped.



Miggi Solidum

Professionally speaking, Miggi is a software engineering dude who happens to like cars a lot. And as an automotive enthusiast, he wants a platform from which he can share his motoring thoughts with fellow petrolheads. He pens the column ‘G-Force’.



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