Drivetrain Makes Manual Wheelchair Electric

Covering long distances in a wheel chair is hard on the arms of its user, but it may not happen often enough to justify the cost of a new electric wheelchair. At the Tokyo Motor Show last week a prototype WHILL, an electric drivetrain clamp for manual wheelchairs was demonstrated. The device is U-shaped and has two hubs that attach to the outside center of the wheels and a control center that curves over the user’s lap. The user drives it by leaning in the direction he wants to turn.

The product isn’t ready for the market just yet, but the Japan-based company is looking for wheelchair users to test the device.

by Christina Ortiz

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