catapult wheelchair by tom robbins
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catapult wheelchair by tom robbins


catapult is a lever drive wheel chair

industrial designer tom robbins completed a prototype of a lever drive wheelchair called
the catapult. both the upward and downward motion of the levers propel the vehicle forward.
the gear shifter is attached to the left handle of the wheelchair, and the brake on the right handle,
which brakes both back wheels simultaneously. in this version the steering for the wheelchair
is controlled through the user's feet located on the outriggers on the front wheel. robbins has also
designed a model which can be steered using hands and arms for those not capable of using their legs.




the vehicle is propelled forward by the upward and downward motion of the hand levers
andrea db
01.01.10  
5
how can you steer and give direction if your legs are paralize?

I'm not sure I understand how does it work.
alan   01.01.10
Yes, my immediate thought too. A wheelchair is usually used by people who cannot use their legs. The prototype is steered by legs. Ludicrous. Furthermore, current wheel chairs are both propelled and steered with arm movements. This design takes the steering function away from the arms, making steering by arm movement impossible. Is this a joke?
terbreugghen   01.01.10
Surely this is some kind of bike and not a 'wheelchair'?
Ralph   01.02.10
obviously several of you didn't read the paragraph that went along with the article. Theres a version that is also steered only with the arms, hence a wheelchair.
gimmy   01.02.10
i always wonder why dudes like terbreugghen bother posting their bad vibes lessons in "i-know-better-than-all-of-you-bunch-of-morons" BEFORE even reading what is it about?
u are the joke.
buzzoff   01.03.10
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