Electric Wheelchair Or Manual Wheelchair

By Author: Heinz Golz
Total Articles: 190
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Wheelchairs are so important to those with restricted mobility. Thanks to wheelchairs those with limited movement can become more portable and recover their independence. There are two main kind of wheelchairs and they are the manual wheelchair and the electric wheelchair.

Manual Wheelchair
The manual wheelchair has been in use for decades and has gone through many changes. The constant feature has been that the chair is self propelled by pushing on the hand rims that encircle the wheels. The owner in effect pushes the wheels around and around to get from a place to place. In addition to that, the footrests to a manual wheelchair can be taken away and the user can walk the chair forward with his feet.

Electric Wheelchair
Electric wheelchairs are of course powered by batteries. These wheelchairs are bigger, heavier and sturdier because they must be able to hold the extra mass of the motor and the battery. Electric wheelchairs also vary in their complexity. Some are straightforward and use typical batteries and joy stick controllers. Others utilize microprocessors and robotic circuitry which make possible ...
... the wheelchair to raise itself on to wheels so it can go up stairs. The level of complexity is reflected in the price of an electric wheelchair. The prices can vary from $2000 all the way up to $30,000.

The most advanced electric wheelchair today is the iBOT. The iBOT is so technically advanced that it can climb up stairs, glide across gravel and even raise so the owner can reach high shelves. The iBOT can even self adjust its stabilization to balance for use on four wheels and two wheels.
A special software package called iBALANCE is getting data via different sensors and gyroscopes, allowing the iBOT to maintain stability during certain maneuvers. For example during curb climbing the seat remains level while parts of the chassis tilt to climb the curb.
The majority people will not be able to obtain such a costly wheelchair as the iBOT. The normal cost for an electric wheelchair today is around $7000. This is for a wheelchair from a known brand and licensed dealer. It is not advisable to purchase a second hand electric wheelchair because you can never tell if they have been damaged or have worn out motors and batteries. Instead, buy your chair from a certified seller so it comes with full coverage for servicing.

Electric wheelchairs use diverse types of drive systems. One technique is the rear wheel drive wheelchair. This is the most common. This type of wheelchair has good speed but changing directions can be tricky. Another type is the middle wheel drive wheelchair. These are easier to turn and they are rather efficient , but they can be unstable with sudden stops and starts. They are not as speedy as the rear wheel drive wheelchairs.

While choosing an electric wheelchair, take your time and evaluate capabilities and cost. Ask for extra details from wheelchair sellers so you can make a correct decision.

The author is the owner of The WheelChairs web site .
For more information on WheelChairs types go to http://www.the-wheelchair.com/