In July of last year I wrote an article for New Mobility Magazine about Robots assisting persons with disabilities.
I looked at the current state of robot design and had some fun with the concept of R2-D2 or C3PO becoming helpers in the near future. It is without a doubt an incredibly fascinating idea to have mechanical aids helping people with disabilities. Talking with the researchers gave me the hope that we will see this happen sometime in our lifetimes.
As part of the article we asked people with disabilities to respond and tell us their vision of a perfect robot and what its most important tasks would be. We only received three responses, but all three had a universal theme.
A few people wanted the robot to do chores, some wanted it to look cute, but everyone wanted the robot to lift them, help them transfer, or help them change position.
It occurred to me that perhaps the ultimate freedom for someone who cannot move is to be able to move any time they want to or need to move because of pain or pressure. The other part of this freedom is to be able to move without being at someone's mercy, begging for help, or bothering another person. They understand that no matter how generous, their need is still inconveniencing someone else. Movement with the help of a machine is still better and gives a greater feeling of freedom.
I can appreciate this feeling when I get out on the ice in a hockey sled. The feeling of moving, sliding, and defying friction is incredible. To move without wheels, without wings, without a motor, is an awesome feeling. Freedom is one way to describe the sensation.
All of this reminds me modifying vans and cars for persons with disabilities is actually providing motion and by definition freedom to the people who use our vehicles.
KB
Monday, February 4, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Nub
Nub seems to be a rather disrespectful name for someone who is a double leg amputee, but Nub Wysong was a fixture in the community where I grew up.
He made hand controls for my 1966 pick up truck and for many other people in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When he wasn't doing hand controls, he worked at the local transmission repair shop as a bench technician.
My hand controls were made with a screwdriver handle for the gas and a long rod going to the pedal. A bicycle handle operated the brake and a muffler clamp kept the whole contraption fastened to the steering column. The brake rod was bolted onto the brake pedal, but the gas rod was drilled through and held on with a safety pin under the gas pedal. I always made sure I had an extra safety pin in case it broke, which did happen more than once.
The best part about driving a 1966 Ford one ton pick up truck was the fuel filler was just behind the driver door. Because we lived on a farm, I just had to drive up to our tanks, reach out the window and take off the gas cap, fill up and go.
Nub normally charged $60.00, but he liked us and it was a work truck so he only charged $40.00.
I doubt if he ever head of product liability insurance, lawyers, and engineering standards for hand controls, but then those were different days.
Last week I talked to a mobility equipment dealer who was going to raise his price for hand controls from $1,000.00 to $1,200.00 in order to cover his insurance costs.
Times---as they keep telling me---have changed.
KB
He made hand controls for my 1966 pick up truck and for many other people in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When he wasn't doing hand controls, he worked at the local transmission repair shop as a bench technician.
My hand controls were made with a screwdriver handle for the gas and a long rod going to the pedal. A bicycle handle operated the brake and a muffler clamp kept the whole contraption fastened to the steering column. The brake rod was bolted onto the brake pedal, but the gas rod was drilled through and held on with a safety pin under the gas pedal. I always made sure I had an extra safety pin in case it broke, which did happen more than once.
The best part about driving a 1966 Ford one ton pick up truck was the fuel filler was just behind the driver door. Because we lived on a farm, I just had to drive up to our tanks, reach out the window and take off the gas cap, fill up and go.
Nub normally charged $60.00, but he liked us and it was a work truck so he only charged $40.00.
I doubt if he ever head of product liability insurance, lawyers, and engineering standards for hand controls, but then those were different days.
Last week I talked to a mobility equipment dealer who was going to raise his price for hand controls from $1,000.00 to $1,200.00 in order to cover his insurance costs.
Times---as they keep telling me---have changed.
KB
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Hit Man
Anyone who works in this industry, adapting motor vehicles for persons with disabilities, takes pride in their ability to customize a vehicle to meet the needs of their client. The new set of wheels can help someone get back to their life and their profession.
Our dealer in Denver, Dick DeVoe, spent many years creating wheelchair vans. His dealership was located close to Craig Hospital. In the 1970's Craig was the number one hospital in the country for persons with spinal cord injuries. Workman's compensation physicians from the entire country sent their spinal cord injuried patients to Craig.
One Wednesday, Dick's shop was starting a van conversion for a customer when they received a telephone call from him. Craig was releasing him on Saturday and he needed the van to return to St. Louis.
Dick and his guys immediately doubled their efforts. They installed a lift, power door openers, hand controls and a transfer seat in record time. By Saturday morning the van was done. The young man, a paraplegic, and two friends paid cash for the van and left.
Monday morning, bright and early the FBI and local police covered the shop like a blanket. The young man was a mob hit man who had been wounded and paralyzed by someone from another gang.
Dick's customer had skipped out of rehab early, against doctor's advice, and before the FBI knew he was gone. They wanted him because he had sworn vengeance on the man who shot him and they wanted to avoid a gun battle in St. Louis.
I don't know if they ever caught him, but it was another proud day for the guys who modify vans and get persons with disabilities back to their old professions.
Our dealer in Denver, Dick DeVoe, spent many years creating wheelchair vans. His dealership was located close to Craig Hospital. In the 1970's Craig was the number one hospital in the country for persons with spinal cord injuries. Workman's compensation physicians from the entire country sent their spinal cord injuried patients to Craig.
One Wednesday, Dick's shop was starting a van conversion for a customer when they received a telephone call from him. Craig was releasing him on Saturday and he needed the van to return to St. Louis.
Dick and his guys immediately doubled their efforts. They installed a lift, power door openers, hand controls and a transfer seat in record time. By Saturday morning the van was done. The young man, a paraplegic, and two friends paid cash for the van and left.
Monday morning, bright and early the FBI and local police covered the shop like a blanket. The young man was a mob hit man who had been wounded and paralyzed by someone from another gang.
Dick's customer had skipped out of rehab early, against doctor's advice, and before the FBI knew he was gone. They wanted him because he had sworn vengeance on the man who shot him and they wanted to avoid a gun battle in St. Louis.
I don't know if they ever caught him, but it was another proud day for the guys who modify vans and get persons with disabilities back to their old professions.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tinkle Tube and other Treasures
If you do this work, adapting vehicles for persons with disabilities, you run into some really strange things.
Back in the 70's and early 80's we regularly got requests from disabled drivers to drill a hole in the floorboards in the driver's area. The drill, so to speak, was to make a half inch hole, edge it with a grommet and insert a bolt to act as a cork for this little piece of technology. The guys who were really creative would weld a steel loop to the bolt head so the driver could easily remove the bolt.
The purpose of removing the bolt was to access the outside so the drain end of a legbag could be inserted into the hole.
Freedom is the open road, a big van, a jug of water and never having to stop to empty your urinary collection device. It was an amazing time.
We can add to our list of strange things we did a tire cover with the Budman cartoon figure balancing a beer can on his middle finger and saying "This one's for you." We also had a larger than life-sized and better endowed topless nude on the side of a black van.
I'll add more as I think of more, but we did and saw some strange things back then.
KB
Back in the 70's and early 80's we regularly got requests from disabled drivers to drill a hole in the floorboards in the driver's area. The drill, so to speak, was to make a half inch hole, edge it with a grommet and insert a bolt to act as a cork for this little piece of technology. The guys who were really creative would weld a steel loop to the bolt head so the driver could easily remove the bolt.
The purpose of removing the bolt was to access the outside so the drain end of a legbag could be inserted into the hole.
Freedom is the open road, a big van, a jug of water and never having to stop to empty your urinary collection device. It was an amazing time.
We can add to our list of strange things we did a tire cover with the Budman cartoon figure balancing a beer can on his middle finger and saying "This one's for you." We also had a larger than life-sized and better endowed topless nude on the side of a black van.
I'll add more as I think of more, but we did and saw some strange things back then.
KB
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
2008 Chrysler Minivan Advertising
Thanks to our good friends at Chrysler and the fact that I own a 2005 Town and County minivan, I am the lucky recipient of the advertising package for the 2008 redesign.
It's an impressive piece of advertising and specifications, but it does not mention adapting this vehicle or Chrysler's Automobility program. Along with information, the Automobility Program gives up to $1,000.00 towards the price of the conversion.
I realize Chrysler's legal department has probably told them to distance themselves from the modifiers of their products to keep the company from being drawn into any litigation involving a conversion. But, the reality is several thousand of these little vans are modified with low floor conversions every year.
People with disabilities exist, and so does their need for accessible transportation. Instead of ignoring this piece of the market, why not embrace the situation as a way to increase sales?
KB
It's an impressive piece of advertising and specifications, but it does not mention adapting this vehicle or Chrysler's Automobility program. Along with information, the Automobility Program gives up to $1,000.00 towards the price of the conversion.
I realize Chrysler's legal department has probably told them to distance themselves from the modifiers of their products to keep the company from being drawn into any litigation involving a conversion. But, the reality is several thousand of these little vans are modified with low floor conversions every year.
People with disabilities exist, and so does their need for accessible transportation. Instead of ignoring this piece of the market, why not embrace the situation as a way to increase sales?
KB
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
2008 Chrysler Minivan Redesign
The 2008 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan minivan redesign was a pivotal fork-in-the-road for this product and the company. I'm not sure they took the right path.
Chrysler's engineers could have designed something unique, streamlined and beautiful. Instead, they chose to prey upon the fears of drivers, especially the soccer moms looking for safety and security. The new van has a blunt nose, wide stance and aggressive-looking grill, similar to the Charger and 300, to give it the feeling of increased safety.
The new design also is more macho and gets away from the soccer-mom look. GM did the same thing with its under-achieving minivans several years ago. The slight increase in sales didn't help enough to keep the "U" chassis from being cut from the GM product lineup. 2008 will be the last year for the Chevrolet Uplander minivans.
Even in 2004 when Chrysler was redesigning their minivans, the writing on the wall said "accommodate older baby boomers, be environmentally responsible, increase gas mileage, and give us some luxury features."
Chrysler increased the luxury features, but missed everything else. I don't see any increase in accessibility features for persons with disabilities or any assistance to the vehicle modifiers now dealing with the nightmare of completely redesigning their lowered floor vehicle.
I'm sure Chrysler engineers and marketing people can site the increased problems meeting upgraded 2008 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, market pressures from overseas companies, and lack of sales volume in the "disability market" as reasons for not producing accessible product. However, the creative process used to solve accessibility problems can be its own reward and has often lead to new and wildly successful products.
Chrysler could have chosen a path filled with innovation, style and environmental sensitivity. Instead they have chosen a path leading to a homogenized product line while showing the world a fierce face.
Chrysler's engineers could have designed something unique, streamlined and beautiful. Instead, they chose to prey upon the fears of drivers, especially the soccer moms looking for safety and security. The new van has a blunt nose, wide stance and aggressive-looking grill, similar to the Charger and 300, to give it the feeling of increased safety.
The new design also is more macho and gets away from the soccer-mom look. GM did the same thing with its under-achieving minivans several years ago. The slight increase in sales didn't help enough to keep the "U" chassis from being cut from the GM product lineup. 2008 will be the last year for the Chevrolet Uplander minivans.
Even in 2004 when Chrysler was redesigning their minivans, the writing on the wall said "accommodate older baby boomers, be environmentally responsible, increase gas mileage, and give us some luxury features."
Chrysler increased the luxury features, but missed everything else. I don't see any increase in accessibility features for persons with disabilities or any assistance to the vehicle modifiers now dealing with the nightmare of completely redesigning their lowered floor vehicle.
I'm sure Chrysler engineers and marketing people can site the increased problems meeting upgraded 2008 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, market pressures from overseas companies, and lack of sales volume in the "disability market" as reasons for not producing accessible product. However, the creative process used to solve accessibility problems can be its own reward and has often lead to new and wildly successful products.
Chrysler could have chosen a path filled with innovation, style and environmental sensitivity. Instead they have chosen a path leading to a homogenized product line while showing the world a fierce face.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Remember, It's a Business
For a newly disabled person or a teenager with a disability driving is the ultimate freedom. So, it is easy to get emotional about the fantastic adaptation to the new ride.
Just remember, adapting motor vehicles is a business. In most circles it is know as a "Mobility business," but it's a business just the same.
Follow the same good consumer practices you would with any business. Check prices, arm yourself with knowledge by knowing what's available, and ask questions.
You don't have to be grateful to the company for building your ride, but you do have to work with the sales staff and technicians. They need to know what you do and don't like, what you physically can and cannot do and, frankly, what you can afford.
If you have good people working with you, you should get good results. Then you can sit back and admire the work of the craftsmen who put together your vehicle.
The work should look professional and slick. Paint should match, wires and carpet edges should be hidden and the switches and adaptation should be easy to use.
It's OK to admire the work of professionals and have some pride in ownership, whether it be artwork, a home, clothes, shoes, or a customized wheelchair van.
KB
Just remember, adapting motor vehicles is a business. In most circles it is know as a "Mobility business," but it's a business just the same.
Follow the same good consumer practices you would with any business. Check prices, arm yourself with knowledge by knowing what's available, and ask questions.
You don't have to be grateful to the company for building your ride, but you do have to work with the sales staff and technicians. They need to know what you do and don't like, what you physically can and cannot do and, frankly, what you can afford.
If you have good people working with you, you should get good results. Then you can sit back and admire the work of the craftsmen who put together your vehicle.
The work should look professional and slick. Paint should match, wires and carpet edges should be hidden and the switches and adaptation should be easy to use.
It's OK to admire the work of professionals and have some pride in ownership, whether it be artwork, a home, clothes, shoes, or a customized wheelchair van.
KB
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