Single-step climbing technology for wheelchair charity

Robotics researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) have developed step-climbing technology which allows motorised wheelchair users to easily get up and down road kerbs and single steps.

The team from the UTS Centre for Autonomous Systems collaborated with Sydney-based disability charity Mobility 2000 to develop the attachment for two-wheel drive powered wheelchairs. It currently enables users to navigate kerbs and single steps without needing to buy a whole new wheelchair.

When added to an existing wheelchair, the system allows individual wheels to be raised and lowered in a controlled fashion. It currently has only manual control, but the researchers are looking at semi-autonomous control.

UTS is now providing Mobility 2000 with free access to the technology under an Easy Access IP agreement - an exclusive licence to the university’s share of IP for free. This will enable the charity to develop the technology into a commercial product in collaboration with disability services provider Northcott.

“Despite generating great innovations from research, we recognise that there are often too many commercial barriers when taking university-generated IP to market,” said UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Attila Brungs.

“Easy Access IP provides another approach, making it even easier for industry to work with UTS experts, putting our research to good use.”

Rob Silberstein is chairman of Mobility 2000’s board and a wheelchair user himself. He said the technology will “enable people to more easily navigate public streets and many buildings throughout the world, further levelling the playing field and helping to build an inclusive society”.

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