erGo Wheelchair Concept

Sometimes there are items that are improved upon so much that eventually they can no longer be defined by what they originally were. A prefect example would be a cell phone. What they are today compared to what they were 15 years ago is completely different. So at what point can a wheelchair, with many added features, no longer be called a wheelchair? Well if this erGo wheelchair concept by Russian Industrial Design student Maria Ignatova becomes reality, then I’d say it’d be a good example.

Near and Far
Most manual and electric wheelchairs that are not scooters can be considered short range. Typically people will use these for moving around the house and neighborhood. Usually not going miles or across town. erGo has a way of bridging these two distances. The base part of erGo is a slim three-wheeled electric wheelchair that can be used for the short range. When long range is needed, the base part then goes into and attaches to a larger three-wheeled frame. This larger frame has a windshield and would function much like a compact electric car. Short range and long range all done without transferring.

Up and Down
When erGo is not moving about, it can still provide added movement. If the user prefers, they can turn erGo into a stander if they need to reach something high or just want to be in a standing position. Oppositely, they can have erGo go into a crouching position to view or pick something up that’s closer to the ground.

Conclusion
Ignatova has designed a functional wheelchair that can wear a few other hats beyond the original. Meaning it can do much more than your standard wheelchair. To see more of her portfolio visit this website.