Most wheelchairs have one major disadvantage. Like the Daleks of old, stairs stop them in their tracks. Not the Scalevo. This electric wheelchair is capable of climbing and descending stairs thanks to a set of tank-like tracks that can be lowered to keep the user level at all times.
No ramps are needed with this chair. When the user approaches a set of steps backwards with his or her back facing the steps, the treads come out. The chair is then lifted at an angle using hydraulics, allowing it to crawl up the steps, while keeping its passenger level. There are even two extra sets of wheels that pop out at the last step for a smoother transition back to flat ground.
The project is a collaboration between students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Zurich University of the Arts.
This could revolutionize how people with disabilities people get around.
