Robotic support brings freedom to paraplegics - Tek RMD

Will this be the future of mobility device to replace the power wheelchairs?

Disabled Girl In Wheelchair Thrown From A Bridge

This is seriously crazy!

Wheelchair Accessible Buses (WAB) updated

As of 8 December 2011

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(Source: http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/doyouknow/facts_wab.aspx
Last accessed on 8 December 2011)

New wheelchair

This wheelchair is made according to my specifications. Well, not as much I would like the specifications to be realised by the wheelchair technician, it is a better upgrade. One of the important features is a spare backup battery. This has saved me many times the inconvenience of being stranded and seeking assistance from my domestic helper to bring down the spare battery.

Another useful feature it uses lithium 17AH battery which is much lighter than a dry gel batteries. For a given amount of travelling distance and usage, I need to use a single lithium battery as opposed to two heavy gel batteries.

New safety lights for my power wheelchair

This was bought at ebay - LED mobile lights for my wheelchair travelling at night.

Adventurre200 video done by students from Singapore Poly Media Studies Dept

Update of Adventure200 fundraising

The Adventure200 has to date raised $62,000 :)

Finally I have completed it!

These questions were asked by someone who has covered my Adventure200 with my thoughts below:

1) What are your exact thoughts at the Starting line before setting off?
It was like a long preparation for something I always wanted to do and finally the moment had arrived! All the encouraging speeches just before the flagoff and being with my family, friends and supporters there, it was a bit heady. I tried to calm myself as the flagoff master gave the cue to be at the starting line. Did a quick look over behind me where Ms Penny Low, Member of Parliament (MP), Punggol-Pasir Ris GRC who sportingly agreed to join me in the flagoff on another motorised wheelchair.

The big horn blew and I just zoomed ahead and said to myself "Now, on the road for the next three days. Stay focused at all times" . I must say I was focusing on the path infront of me and managing this powerful machine carefully, overcoming road obstacles and not taking my eyes and concentration off at any time.

Here is a group shot of my family, friends and supporters just before the flagoff on 21 April 2009 at the premises of the Spastic Children's Association of Singapore.



(Photo courtesy of my colleague Sebastian Song who covered all three days on the road with me)

2) What are your difficulties during the course, both physical and mental?

One of the days was the hottest day in April where the temperature hit 35 degrees! This is enough to cook an egg. Being prepared for the hot weather, I wore light coloured tshirts, applied sunblock and wore a cap. These helped to make the journey abit more comfortable.

I must say the first day was challenging as my escorts from the elite army division and me had to cover a distance of 92km. We reached Sembawang Bottle Tree park at 11.00pm after being more than 10 hours continuously on the road.

Mentally, I was prepared as I let my feelings flowed, not exactly taking in the passing scenes as I was concentrating on the next few metres ahead of me and travelling at a speed between 7-12 kph, and experiencing it moment-to-moment.

Here I share my colleague Ivan's video who did a great job to capture the essence of Day 1 which I covered 92km in ten hours. We ended at the Sembawang Bottle Tree Park at 11.00pm.



3) Which is the most challenging part?

Well I would say it is the last day or the third day. The footrest of the wheelchair just plonked off! I guessed the gruelling journey just took a toil on the footrest. My escorts improvised on the spot by using a nail found nearby and some nylon wires to put it back in place. Kudos to these great guys :)


(photo by Sebastian Song)

I salute these guys who were my escorts during the journey :)


4) Did you ever think about giving up during the course? What motivates you on?

Not at all. I mean this is premised on the spirit of adventure and doing a charity cause, the motivation is an end in itself. I guess it is mind over body :)


My colleagues from the National Library Board who cycled with me on the second day at the East Coast Park.

5) During the course, is there anything you crave for?

haha, I am well taken off by my escorts who ensured I am properly rehydrated. A kind volunteer even cooked and brought us dinner throughout the journey. It is amazing as she did this totally out of her kindness and generousity. As for craving, well when I was passing through the long stretch of Lim Chu Kang and Neo Crescent where many farms are there, I did look out for durians trees in case we could find some fallen fruits. Being a durian lover, the local variety is the best. But no such luck!

6) What are your thoughts as you approach the finishing line? What are your thoughts after crossing?

When I was approaching the National Library building, I was told to drive very slowly (the Adventure motorised wheelchair of Alber Germany is one of the fastest motorised battery-powered wheelchairs around with a top speed of 12kph, so I guess calling it driving is more cool than to say moving on it :)) so that colleagues and supporters would walk slowly in unity to SMU campus, the endpoint of the wheelchair marathon. It was ethereal. I could sense the spirit of friendship and commaraderie as we marched in one heartbeat to SMU. This was my exact feeling and thought at that time.

7) What do you most want to do now after completing the challenge? Any immediate or future plans?

Just to rest and catch with some good sleep. I did think of some future challenges ahead. This year's Adventure200 was a land mission, maybe the future ones could be sea and air missions and later, perhaps go cross-borders. Well, many factors come into play: my health, sponsors and support to make future ones a reality just like the Adventure200 2009.

8) Lastly, here is a chance for you to say what you want to say to all who have been supporting you, run beside you or cheer you on , and those who have donated generously.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone for all your support, encouragement and donations. It is heartwarming that civic society is very much alive and well as I experienced it. What I did is just a small part and it shows that coming together, a meaningful impact can be done for a charity cause. My take is we can be a catalyst to do something in our own unique ways to help somebody, one step at a time.

To view more action of Adventure200, please visit my colleague Sebastian Song's photo link below. Sebastian is the volunteer photographer of this event. Sebastian, you are a great photographer and superfit too for running around all the three days :)

http://www.pbase.com/sebastiansong/a200

My thoughts on Adventure200

My interview with CNA on the Adventure200.

Please visit the one-stop website on Adventure200 Singapore here:

www.A200.sg

World record attempt in an Abler Adventure wheelchair

I have tried the Abler Adventure before (see previous post here dated July 23, 2008) and I enjoyed the experience greatly. The Abler Adventure is a superb well-engineered power wheelchair from Germany.

I chanced upon an attempt by a person who wants to break a world record travelling 1,000 miles or 1,600 kilometres in UK. Here are the excerpts from this attempt:

"I (Mary Laver) have a dream and that is to drive a power wheelchair from Lands End to John O’Groats UK in 29 days. After looking at many power wheelchairs I was told by wheelchair experts, that for such an adventure I needed a power wheelchair that you could change the batteries without getting out of the chair; that I needed a power wheelchair chair that had good suspension, up to date technology in fault finding. I needed speed and endurance as I would need to cover 40 miles per day for 29 days with the odd rest day, to complete the task I had set myself; then there was only one chair to fill all of these requirements and more, that was and is, the Alber Adventure."

To read further, click here.

Predator 4x4 all terrain power wheelchair

Predator 4x4 power wheelchair by Radical Mobility, South Africa. With the wet savannah mudlands at the company's doorsteps, it is blessed with testing and making power wheelchairs that can survive the harshest environment. Maybe it will build a power wheelchair which can outrun a cheetah (about 70 mph or 114 kph)?

Wheelchairs as fast as this cheetah?

Below is the philosophy of Radical Mobility:

"Radical Holdings (Pty) Ltd t/a Radical Mobility is a South African company that designs, manufactures and markets power wheelchairs, which maximize mobility and comfort for disabled people.
Martin Brown, founder and CEO of Radical Mobility is a C3/6 quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair since 1998. His frustration in trying to find a power wheelchair that catered for his needs led directly to the formation of Radical Mobility.

Martin demanded manoeuvrability indoors but also the ability to drive on surfaces like beach sand. He needed comfort and support, and the ability to surmount obstacles and slopes and didn’t want his power wheelchair to look like hospital equipment. So Radical Mobility was born with inspiration from his Creator, friends and family. Martin teamed up with Pieter Nell to develop a range of wheelchairs that are affordable, comfortable, safe and versatile – especially in their ability to operate indoors and outside."

To read further, click here.



Up a steep slope with minimal effort.



Beach cruising

A voice-controlled power wheelchair

A cool wheelchair using one's voice to move it.

The next day 15 August 2008

My buddies Ricky, Philip and me after a hearty breakfast in the hotel. Although this hotel is not in the main cities like Bangkok, its breakfast buffet was better than a similar four-star hotel breakfast in BKK. Charoensri Hotel breakfast was really good :)
This was the first forest monk's temple we visited.
This temple belongs to one of the disciples of the great late Ajahn Mun. A doctor donated a real skeleton to remind the followers of the impermanence of life.
The temple hall.
The serenity of the temple's surroundings.

Me feeding the fishes as my other buddies went up to the temple which was not wheelchair accessible. This is outside Ajahn Fon's wat, one of AC Mun's disciples.
The view ouside the pond.
The great tudong master late Ajahn Mun's museum.

Personal artefacts of AC Mun when he meditated and wandered in the wild forests of Udon Thani.
Noticed the parasol which was the protection he had to shelter him from rain and sun when he meditated in the forests.

A path built for walking meditation in the forest.
A friendly monk at Wat Pa Yong who was also our translator when we visited the abbot there.

Thanks for viewing. Please come back again to visit my blog as I will be constantly adding new photos on the Udon Thani trip.

My recent trip to Udon Thani, Thailand

Just landed in Udon Thani, about one hour from Bangkok
Posing outside the Udon Thani domestic airport. It is a small airport with basic amenities and a canteen for light refreshments. Behind me is my buddy Ricky who was one of the three of us in this trip. Our purpose of the trip was to visit the forest monks in Udon Thani.
I was outside Charoensri Grand Royal Hotel where we stayed. I just had dinner at the nearby night market.
View of our hotel at night.
Our first taste of local food at the night market! We had a plate of ngio hiang dish or "chinese rojak", a huge steamed fish, fried chicken, mango salad and fresh coconuts for each of us. For dessert, we had "ching ting" which is the best I ever tried: its version had more than ten ingredients unlike the Singapore version of maybe 4-5 ingredients. The total cost? About S$16 for four of us :)

Launching of my blog Ts

Want to win one of my tshirts? All you need to do is to go up to me when I am travelling outdoors on my power wheelchair and say "Hello! Singapore Wheelchair Warrior!". You then have to visit my blog to give the answer to this question: What is my nickname used in the blog? You need to post the answer and also state the date/time and place we met. You must post your answer at the latest entry of my blog.

Discovering Singapore's newest green hub - The HortPark with Alber Adventure

Let me introduce two "firsts". The first is the latest attraction for nature lovers - the opening of HortPark, a seemless nature trail of parks connector of some 23 hectare of green space.

"HortPark is a one-stop gardening hub that brings together gardening-related, recreational, educational, research and retail activities under one big canopy in a park setting. It is a knowledge hub for plants and gardening and provides the platform for the industry to share best practices and showcase garden designs, products and services. This 23-hectare regional park in South-Western Singapore is also a park connector, connecting Telok Blangah Hill Park to Kent Ridge Park."

To read more, click here.

The other first is the testing of the fastest power wheelchair currently available here. The German-made Alber Adventure power wheelchair with a top speed of 14kph will blow you away. The Abler is one hell of a dream machine. I had this rare opportunity of riding this uber wheelchair due to the kind courtesy of Mr Cheong of Start-Centre, the person who is responsible for marketing it here. The photos below showed the dual joy of discovering Singapore's latest green lung on the fastest power wheelchair here.

The rather deceptive path leads to a flight of steps with no indication or signage of the imminent danger. There is however a flat path just besides it. From the wheelchair rider's perspective, it appears a slope downwards. I hope the NParks will look into this immediately.

The dangerous view from the other side.
The Alber was a joy to ride on - its excellent suspension coupled with comfortable seat made me feel like I am travelling on business class seat of my beloved Singapore Airlines. It is a continuous climb of slope of some 500 metres or about 10 minutes to reach the top of South Ridge by Alber power wheelchair.

Me and Alber. What an achievement reaching the top of South Ridge, well almost the top. Our journey was hampered by a flight of steps to continue a little further.

Feeling contented of conquering South Ridge without a sweat, I travelled down.
Feeling supremely happy with being in touch with nature, the Alber just made it so much enjoyable like travelling into the heart of Congo.

Hello! A pitfall!

The Singtel Hello! buidling at Somerset Road.

Just on the way out with the slope around the corner.

No marking to indicate a step nor a slope.

At the very edge, the danger is still not apparent.

A combination of slope and step is highly dangerous for both walkers and wheelchair travellers.

A wheelchair traveller struggled in the newest Santiago subway system

This was recorded recently in Santiago, Chile. Santiago's metro system is the newest and most extensive subway system in South America. However, it's not very handicap-friendly.

Is it a bicycle? Is it a power wheelchair? No, it is the Segway wheelchair!

Great invention using gyroscope technology which makes this wheelchair an amazing two-wheeler!



I remembered our local Singapore Airport Police force tried to use the Segway standing version many years back as a pilot project. Apparently the project did not take off. Look at this video - don't you think it makes life easier and fun? I managed to locate the local newspaper's article on this trial project here:

"S'pore police patrols - batteries included.
177 words
20 May 2003
Straits Times
English
(c) 2003 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

THE Singapore Police Force has bought battery-operated scooters which will go on trial from next month, possibly at Changi Airport.

These scooters have only standing room and cost S$8,541 each.

Made in the United States, the 'vehicles' are called Segway Human Transporters.

They have a top speed of 20kmh, are quiet and produce no exhaust fumes. Each vehicle can be used non-stop for a full day, and can negotiate rough terrain like gravel and sand.

The Segway is said to have been developed at a cost of US$100 million (S$172 million), and has sensors which mimic the body's ability to maintain its balance.

It has no brakes and no accelerator. It has only handle bars to change direction.

The rider has to lean forward to move the vehicle, and lean back to slow down or to stop it.

The police declined to reveal how many machines they have bought. They said that they will be exploring how the Segways can be used for patrols."

Maybe, public feedback such as the one below, killed the appearance of Segways at our Airports?

"A motorised pogo stick with a big price tag.
By Christopher Tan.
769 words
5 July 2003
Straits Times
English
(c) 2003 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

THE Segway Human Transporter is one of those things that seem like a brilliant idea at the time, but is actually rather silly when you sit down to think about it.

And here's the thing, isn't it? You can't sit down on the Segway. You have to stand upright at all times while trying not to look like a squirrel sniffing the air - or poor grandma balancing on her stainless steel walking frame.

Imagine being in that frozen pose for 10 minutes. Besides appearing dorky, think of the aching thigh and calf muscles at the end of the journey.

Where are we going on this thing, whose price ranges from US$5,000 (S$8,800) to US$8,000 - depending on the model? No one is really sure. Many city authorities are not allowing it on roads or sidewalks. And as motorised scooters are also not allowed in parks in many cities - including Singapore - the only place to use it is in a private compound. Or at the airport.

But even if it is allowed on roads and pavements, why use the Segway? Besides being expensive, it is cumbersome (it weighs 30kg to 40kg), has little room for anything else besides your two feet, and has limited speed and range.

Its manufacturer says it has a speed of between 8kmh and 27kmh, and claims it won't hurt anyone in a collision. At 27kmh, that's somehow doubtful. It also says its battery has a range of about 27km. Within these parameters, won't walking, cycling or taking the train be just as efficacious?

In fact, a bicycle is a much more superior mode of transport. It allows you to sit down, move your limbs, carry quite a lot of stuff (including junior in the child seat), and work out a little. On a bicycle, if your legs ache, there is at least an upside: burnt calories and a firmer bottom.

On the Segway, you're merely telling the world you have the means to own an expensive toy that can embarrass you the way it embarrassed United States President George W. Bush. The contraption is clearly the emperor's new clothes. No one wants to admit they don't see the logic of it, perhaps for fear of being branded an ignoramus or a technophobic.

And now the Singapore Police Force has become the latest agency to try out the gyroscopic wonder. Rumour has it that they want to order 100 units. It is tragic. Our men in blue need to look dignified when doing their rounds. Perched lazily on a Segway, they not only do not look dignified, but they also do not inspire confidence.

Fine if the gadget flies or floats. But we're not even sure how waterproof it is.

Years ago, when the Traffic Police ordered a fleet of BMW motorcycles, word had it that it raised eyebrows in very high places. The purchase was deemed extravagant (a Beemer bike costs easily twice a Japanese equivalent).

Now, the Segway? For the price, one could get a nifty scooter - either petrol-or electric-driven. Or four or five mid-range bicycles. Bicycles are practically maintenance-free. They don't have to be recharged either.

With its intricate mechanisms and sophisticated batteries, the Segway is unlikely to be as hassle-free.

Segway-maker Dean Kamen, an American billionaire, would have done humanity a lot more good if he had devised the self-balancing two-wheeler as a way for old or infirm people to get around. Or if he had wanted to make something really just for fun, perhaps he should have improved on the pogo stick.

As for his hope of it replacing the car, fat chance. The thing doesn't come with air-conditioning or off-road tyres. And where do you hang the furry dice from?

Mr Kamen was in town recently to do a personal show-and-tell for the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Here's a question: Would he have come if the Segway was selling well in America? Nevertheless, the engineers within the LTA must have been impressed, as they are mostly impressed with all things new and 'techie' (like driverless trains). But it is reassuring to know that this time, they have not given the Segway the green light to ply our streets.

Then again, perhaps they should have. Then, at least residents living near the Buangkok MRT station can ride to a train station on the North-East Line that is open."

Finally, the local decision by the Police not to adopt the Segways afterall.

"Prime News
Easy riders in Holland V
David Boey
393 words
28 May 2005
Straits Times
English
(c) 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Limited

TWO-WHEELED contraptions that look like pogo sticks on wheels have become new head-turners in the Holland Village area, after people there were invited to try the gadgets last week.

The devices, which cost between US$5,000 (S$8,335) and US$8,000, are called Segway Human Transporters. These are battery-powered platforms with motorised wheels and handle bars to change direction.

They have no brakes and no accelerator, and can hit speeds of up to 20kmh. A rider leans forward to move it, and leans back to slow down or stop it.

Five of the vehicles are available at Holland Village as part of a trial by industrial landlord JTC Corporation, and SiS Technologies, the Segway's local distributor, to introduce people to the devices.

They are parked in front of Holland Village Shopping Centre from Monday to Thursday between 3pm and 7pm, and between noon and 7pm from Friday to Sunday. They will be there till the end of next month.

Anyone can have a go on one, for free. Guides will teach them how to use the vehicles.

Holland Village was chosen as it is within easy reach of the 200ha research and innovation hub in Buona Vista, called one-north, said JTC Corp, the hub's master developer, on Thursday.

The trial is part of efforts to 'introduce new technologies in one-north' as the area is a 'test-bedding hub for new innovations and technologies'.

It sees the Segway, which is recharged by being plugged into the mains, as a possible 'alternative mode of transport' that is 'both environmentally friendly and could potentially reduce the need for cars for travelling short distances'.

When it was unveiled by its American inventor in December 2001, it was hailed as a way to ease inner-city congestion by giving motorists an alternative to cars.

In October 2003, about 6,000 of the machines were recalled by their maker because they could tip over when riders continued to use them despite being alerted that the battery was low.

The problem was fixed by upgrading the software that controls the machine's balance.

Segways, which are used at Heathrow Airport by British police, were tested by the police here at Changi Airport in 2003, but they decided not to have them."

Will there be a re-think on the Segway since the largest Changi Terminal Three Airport just opened this year?

I must clarify here that I have no business or percuniary interests in Segway products nor related to any of the people at Segway company.



The latest Segway Centaur.

Impressive all terrain and Extreme rockclimbing power wheelchairs!

This power wheelchair gives a confident meaning to travelling on all terrains (well almost, how about on snow?). Notice the front wheels are broader than normal ones and they have wheels guards. It moves easily on cobbled stones in an uphill grassy patch.



This is a rock climbing extreme power wheelchair!