The Chariot: New gizmo for getting around

FOR THE PAST TEN MONTHS, CHERYL DOUGLASS HAS BEEN LEARNING HOW TO WALK AGAIN.

SOT CHERYL DOUGLASS: I was nine weeks in the ICU for a strep blood infection. In order to save the body, the extremities shriveled up basically.

DOCTORS AMPUTATED ALL FOUR OF HER LIMBS. NOW SHE USES PROSTHETICS TO MOVE HER ARMS AND LEGS.

BUT A NEW DEVICE COULD CHANGE THE WAY AMPUTEES LIKE DOUGLASS GET AROUND.

SOT DAVID BYCHKOV, CEO, EXMOVERE HOLDINGS: The chariot is a hands-free, self-balancing cocoon that is worn, not driven, but rather worn on the bottom half of the body and suitable for people who have either spinal damage or who are amputees.

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING COMPANY EXMOVERE HOLDINGS HAS UNVEILED A PROTOTYPE OF THE CHARIOT.

FROM DANCE MOVES TO DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES, THE CHARIOT MOVES BY RESPONDING TO SHIFTS IN THE TORSO.

THE BATTERY-POWERED PROTOTYPE CAN GO UP TO TWELVE MILES PER HOUR AND TACKLE ANY TERRAIN THATS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

IAN HERRINGTON INVENTED THE CHARIOT. HE SAYS IT PROVIDES

SOT IAN HERRINGTON, INVENTOR: Better sort of quality day-to-day life of perhaps people who would want to have a much more eye-to-eye interface such as were having now as against perhaps an individual who previously might have been using a wheelchair.

SOT DAVID BYCHKOV: When hes in it, you cant tell if hes an amputee or not, which is whats exciting about it from a psychological perspective.

COMPANY EXECUTIVES SAY THE FINAL VERSION WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE DEVICE FROM A SEATED POSITION.

BUT SOME MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS SAY THE CHARIOT MAY NOT BE IDEAL FOR AMPUTEES.

SOT JOHNNY BASKIN, PROSTHETIST: It does the exact opposite of what we try to do. What were trying to do is promote activity, exercise, function, whereas the chariot would kind of pacify that.

RIGHT NOW, THE COST OF BUILDING ONE CHARIOT IS 35,000 DOLLARS. EXMOVERE HOPES TO BRING THAT PRICE DOWN TO BETWEEN 1500 AND 2500 DOLLARS.

DOUGLASS SAYS SHED CONSIDER BUYING ONE

SOT CHERYL DOUGLASS: if it became affordableQuite honestly, it probably would not be covered by health insurance. In fact, Im having trouble right now getting my prosthetics covered.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMPANY HOPES THIS MOBILE MOVER CAN BE PRACTICAL NOT JUST FOR THOSE WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO FOR SOME PROFESSIONALS, SUCH AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

FOR UPI.COM, IM MELISSE HINKLE.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• health
• amputee
• chariot
• walk
• medical
• prosthetic
• wheelchair
• insurance
• news

[slye1991]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[LLOYDSEAHAMMERS]

YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME, KRABS

NOT WHEN I SHIFT INTO MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE