Assistive Technologies That Aid
Mobility
Disability can never be a hindrance in today’s premises. The world is becoming an accepting and
welcoming society towards the community, and policies are now becoming inclusive for them.
Most importantly, there is now a wide range of tools that makes a living as a disabled individual
easier. The technologies surrounding the assisting tools are also constantly improving day by
day. Here are some five assistive technologies that aid mobility.
Canes and Crutches, Walkers
Canes and Crutches are the simplest assistive technology known. Most of these assisting objects
came from sturdy materials such as wood or an alloy. Commercially produced ones came out of
strong plastic polyesters. While they differ in design, canes and crutches follow the goal of
providing standing support to its user.
Another difference is how much support these assisting tools can offer impaired individuals.
Canes only provide the most minimal support as they feature only one base tip to spread the
body weight and center of gravity. Crutches have more body in the framework and bring a firmer
grip on the tool, bringing more assistive support. Walkers, however, bring stability and balance
to its user using their four-legged base support.
Some modern crutches, however, define themselves as smart walking technologies. Smart
walking tools are adjustable in their height and with their elbow angle at their elbow crutch
variant.
Prosthetic Limbs
Artificial Limbs are pirate peg legs in today’s modern context. Like the pirate leg, the prosthetic
leg's function is to replace the lost limb due to birth or by amputation.
Within the assistive technology market, there are far more prosthetic legs sold than arms; the
obvious reason being artificial legs are more fully functional than arms. Prosthetic legs can aid
with body balance, movement, and bodily coordination. Arms, however, are more of an
expensive prototype than a functioning commodity due to the lack of emulation of the arm
function. Its good output up to date is the prosthetic arms that operate by reading the relative
tendons and joints that correlate to arm movements. Despite this, scientists are hoping for a
massive breakthrough in arm prosthetic technology. They predict that in a few years before 2030,
a prosthetic device reads electric brain impulses for hand and arm dexterity.
Prosthetic legs usually come in the walking model and its running blade counterpart.
Wheelchairs and Scooters
Comfort and effectiveness are words that can describe how wheelchairs and scooters are for their
disabled users. Wheeled assistive technologies are crucial tools for disabled individuals because
they cover more ground faster than their walking stick counterparts. Scooters are much better
gizmo; they can travel faster without manual efforts of self-pushing the wheels. The cons,
however, for these mobility devices lie with only applicable in spacious areas. The inclination of
the surface can prove to be a problem, too; not all establishments have wheelchair-friendly
ramps.
Alternatively, there are custom and automatic wheelchairs that suit specific terrains because of
track belts. Some wheelchairs have actual engines and steering maneuvers to facilitate further
convenience in moving around. While technically, users of these wheelchairs cannot use them on
roads and traffic, having one can be ideal in areas and places that need to cover more ground.
Foot Steering Wheel
Foot steering wheels are the new means to allow disabled individuals to drive despite their
movement impairments. A common foot steering wheel’s design features a frictional foot grip, a
pivot, and a saucer platform where the footrests and steers the whole mechanism. Altogether, this
system helps turn the axle of the tires which in turn maneuvers the entire vehicle.
Consumers of this specific steering wheel are disabled individuals with paralysis in the upper
body. Users can also be people with congenital disabilities that result in shorter arms—deformed,
even. With enough practice, they can finally be able to drive their vehicles again like how an
ordinary person does.
Orthotic Device
In a nutshell, orthotic devices are braces that give micro support to the impaired body. This type
of support differs from long stick macro supports like canes because the support is specific only
to the particular body part. Thus, the types of orthoses available in the market are Ankle-Foot
Orthoses and Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses also cover the knee joint.
The problem with orthoses is the cost, as each requires resources to customize a brace
specifically for a client. With the NDIS program, however, disabled individuals may avail and
even access these assistive technologies. NDIS offers its participants with invaluable network
access to various services and products, including high-ticket mobility devices. Through NDIS
support coordination and its system of capable representatives, the agency can assist disabled
participants to different degrees during the acquisition process. This makes availing of assistive
tools and professionals like orthoses easier and more convenient from the disabled person’s
perspective.