The year 2020 is one for inclusivity. Over the years, people have been working hard to provide people with disabilities with the support they need. Aside from giving them the benefits of a disability application, there are now tons of technological innovations to help them as well. These innovations were built not just to help with their everyday lives but also to make their travels and adventures easier. Here are a few of the year’s best travel innovations made for people with disabilities:
Upsee
Upsee is a mobility device that allows children with motor impairments to walk with the help of an adult. It is built for children between the ages of one to eight. It acts as a harness for the child that’s attached to the parent’s or guardian’s hip. The harness also comes with double sandals, one for the adult and a connected one for the child.
Upsee allows your child to take part in more activities, develop their motor skills, and motivate them further. It allows your child to live a fuller, freer, and happier childhood. It’s a simple but very helpful device.
Lechal
Lechal is a form of a smart device that you attach to your shoes. It is created for the visually impaired. It guides the user by sending simple vibrations through their footwear and giving them a detailed guidance of their route. Lechal has plenty of other useful features. The device has waypoint reminders that alert the user when they’re near their destination. It also tracks the number of your steps and the calories you’ve burned at a very accurate measure. This feature has also become a reason for fitness enthusiasts to take interest in the device.
The device even works offline, which means that you don’t have to worry about going somewhere without an Internet connection and ending up getting lost. It also allows you to record your own trails, which are especially useful for places that aren’t on maps such as hiking trails. It also finds nearby restaurants, ATMs, and other essential venues. The battery life also lasts for 15 days. Lechal definitely helps to make travels easier and less worrisome.
Kenguru Cars
Kenguru is the first car specifically made for wheelchair users. Aside from allowing wheelchair users to get to places with ease, it is also an environmentally friendly vehicle. The Kenguru is an electric car. It takes about eight hours to charge and can travel at a speed of 45kph at a range of 70 to110 km.
Bowhead Corp. Mountain Bike
Bowhead Corp is a company that designs bikes for people with physical disabilities. Christian Bagg, the founder of the company, became paralyzed from the waist down when he suffered a snowboarding accident about 25 years ago. But his disability never slowed him down. He initially created the bike for himself, and he soon decided to turn it into a business to help others like him.
The bike has one main design with different models and attachments for every situation. It can be your everyday mode of transportation, your best friend on the trails. Or you can simply explore the great outdoors with it.
iBOT Mobility System
iBOT is the most recent technological innovation for people with disabilities. It is also called the Ferrari of wheelchairs. You would think that it is the first wheelchair that climbs up and down the stairs. It allows more people with disabilities to travel to any place they want, especially those who aren’t as accessible as others. It also allows the user to see at eye level and reach higher levels.
Although this sounds amazing, it sure makes you hope that more cities would choose to make their establishments and buildings more accessible for people with disabilities. But it’s still mind-blowing to know that we’ve finally made technology like this exist.
Self-driving Cars
We might not have flying cars just yet, but self-driving cars are way more helpful today. Self-driving cars are very beneficial for people with disabilities. Many brands from the automotive industry have taken interest in the idea of self-driving cars. Tesla, BMW, Audi, Cadillac, and Ford are only a few of the companies that manufacture self-driving cars.
iPhone Accessibility
In case you had no idea, iPhone software includes accessibility settings for people with disabilities. It allows you to use braille, voice-over, and audio settings for better hearing. It may not technically be a travel gadget, but a mobile phone is a necessity for every situation.
It’s amazing what technology can do these days. Technology in 2020 is truly aimed at becoming more inclusive and helping more people live their lives easier.
