State-of-the-art wheelchair allows people with disabilities to move upright

Photo: LAUDIO CRUZ/AFP/Getty Images

The wheelchair They are undoubtedly a great help for people with mobility problems, but a new model of these vehicles promises to change the lives of people with disabilities by allowing them to stand up.

A wheelchair known as Zeencreated by Garrett Brown, allows its users to perform the transition between moving in a wheelchair and standing up with the help of a walker.

According to Garrett, the idea to develop this device arose while he was visiting his father before he passed away and noticed that many of his classmates They moved in walkers or wheelchairs, hence observed a large “hole” between both forms of mobility.

He noted that while walkers allow users to maintain an upright posture, and wheelchairs allow users to sit comfortably, neither of them help them in the transition between those two states.

It is precisely in this “gap” that the Zeen comes into play -which takes its name from the draisine, a precursor balance bike of the modern bicycle- that is designed for people who can still use at least one of their legsbut what are they unable to stand or walk without help.

“Zeen supports all the weight of your body from below, without hands, so you can move at your natural pace and even without moving with much less fatigue. Rest and move forward whenever you want; stay outside longer, go further and move faster, or just chat. Zeen gives you control back”, highlights the company on its website.

This is how Zeen works

In its default configuration, the seat of the Zeen is at the height of a wheelchair. When the user wishes to stand up, two gas springs help raise the seat and its occupant to an upright position, without the need for motors.

Then, the user can walk, leaning on the seat (which has a nose similar to a saddle) and on the handlebars/armrest. The safety belt protects against falls and the lifting mechanism can be locked at any height.

Users can not only walk, but also they can also “glide” allowing the Zeen to coast between each step. Since its four wheels are swivel, users can also turn on the go. When it’s time to sit down, simply squeeze two levers on the handlebars to release the lift mechanism so your body weight gently pushes the seat down.

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