FDA Approves 'SUV' of Wheelchairs
Futuristic iBOT Makes Short Work of Stairs, Curbs
Independence Technology
The iBOT rolls up a curb.
Independence Technology
The wheelchair traverses up stairs by elevating and tilting its passengers.
An estimated 2 million Americans use wheelchairs or motorized scooters. For some, obstacles such as stairs, elevated curbs and rocky terrain may no longer pose such a steep challenge.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved what is being called the SUV of wheelchairs. The iBOT, priced at $29,000, can climb stairs, bound up curbs, and glide through gravel, sand and grass. It can even elevate a seated passenger to reach the top shelf at a grocery store.
NPR's Michele Norris, host of All Things Considered, talks with NPR's Joseph Shapiro about how the wheelchair works and whom it might benefit.
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