The LEGO Electric Wheelchair

As a person who works with architectural designs and has a degree in Interior Architecture, I have a special love for LEGOs. Growing up I loved to build things out of LEGOs and let my imagination go wild. Back in those days the blocks were fairly simple with a few specialized kits. Today LEGOs can be very complex with motors and other electronics that push imaginations even further. Simon Burfield of the UK builds crazy cool stuff out of LEGOs. Including this electric wheelchair made entirely out of LEGOs.

Unpractical But Cool
Alright so this electric wheelchair isn’t exactly practical, but it does speak to the geek and home hobbyist in me. The wheelchair weighs about 44lbs and can hold a person weighing about 198lbs. Burfield’s first model is shaped like a chair and is controlled via a joystick on the right armrest. Many tiny motors and wheels then get the chair moving at an albeit slow and kinda noisy pace. His second LEGO wheelchair is controlled via two paddle like controls on each armrest. Sort of like a Bobcat skidloader. He plans to next make one that is controlled remotely via an Android device.

Hidden Potential
As stated this electric wheelchair is not very practical. But it’s things like this that can actually further design and technology. Think about it, he built a functioning electric wheelchair out of parts you can buy at the store for I assume a few hundred dollars. You could take the tiny motors and wheels idea to possibly create a more affordable electric wheelchair. Or a method for developing nations to make their own. Having fun with design and looking at things differently can lead to unexpected ideas. To see more of Burfield’s LEGO creations visit www.burf.org/uk.