Tag Archives: The Theory of Everything

The Connected Wheelchair

While most of the population is busy gawking about the new gadgets released by Apple, Intel in partnership with the award-winning theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking quietly presented something that can be dubbed as the Next-Big-Thing: the connected wheelchair.

Intel showcased the connected wheelchair in its annual Development Conference which was held in San Francisco. In the press release, Intel gave details about the concept of the new wheelchair design.

The concept of the connected wheelchair was intelligently designed by a team of Intel’s engineering interns through the company’s Collaborators Program. The connected wheelchair is currently being developed and improved by Intel’s Internet of Things department. The creation of this equipment is intended to transform standard and conventional wheelchairs into data driven, connected devices or machines.

Here are some of the amazing and intelligent features of the connected wheelchair:

  • The wheelchair is able to absorb or acquire essential biometric information from the user. – The equipment is capable of gathering biometric data or measuring the health of the user. It can measure the vital signs such as heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. The biometric measurements are then displayed on touch screens that are attached to the wheelchair.
  • The wheelchair is designed to take mechanical information from the machine itself that can be analyzed. – The data acquired can be used in addition to the biometric information gathered. The data taken about the wheelchair are also essential to know the status of the machine as well.
  • The connected wheelchair comes with an app. – The app that is in synced with the connected machine allows users to quickly and efficiently map, evaluate and rate the accessibility of different areas and new locations.

With these wonderful features, users can monitor important information about their health, the status of the equipment, and the accessibility of an area or place they are going to visit. Through knowing such vital information, there will be significant improvement in the user’s day to day living.

Internationally acclaimed physicist Stephen Hawking, whose life story will be told in the upcoming biopic drama “The Theory of Everything”, has worked with Intel experts and engineers for more than ten years already and he said that the connected wheelchair is a wonderful invention and an ideal example of how technology can greatly help people with disabilities and physical limitations.

To Hawking, medicine cannot cure his condition, therefore he relies on technology to make his daily activities attainable. Hawking showcases the connected wheelchair and the things the equipment is capable of doing in an Intel video.

Many might be in awe of the new iPhones and gadgets introduced by Apple. But more will be amazed of Intel’s new connected wheelchair that will not just help Hawking but people across the globe.