The classic wheelchair is a well-known device and is very functional for people with basic mobility needs. Using hand propelled wheels is relatively straight-forward, for the most part, for people to go about their daily business. However, in some developing countries where paved streets and sidewalks are in the form of rocky terrain, hills and muddy roads, the basic wheelchair design suddenly starts showing its shortcomings. This observation is what led Amos Winter and his team at MIT to bring from concept to product the Grit Leveraged Freedom chair, a lever powered wheelchair. The rider can adjust the mechanical advantage by moving hands up and down the levers powering the wheelchair, allowing them to easily work in different terrain. In addition, the wheelchair is made from basic bicycle parts allowing for easy maintenance and repair.
We had a chance to ask Benjamin Judge from the team some questions about their product.
