LUCI Brings Automated Safety Features to Power Wheelchairs
February 2, 2021
Seth McBrideLUCI, a sensor-based mountable hardware system for power chairs, has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020. Popular Science also deemed it the Best of What’s New in 2020.
“This is an incredible honor, and one we would have never considered when my brother Jered and I started tinkering with my daughter’s wheelchair in the kitchen three years ago,” said LUCI CEO Barry Dean about the recognition by Time. Dean created the product with the needs of his daughter, a power wheelchair user, in mind. “The most exciting part of being included in this list is having the opportunity to bring more attention and, hopefully, innovation to the world of power wheelchair users.”
Dean and his team hope that with LUCI’s automated safety features, power wheelchair users will never have to worry about driving off a hidden curb or crashing because of an out-of-control chair again. The system mounts between the power base and seat and “combines data from cameras, ultrasonic sensors and radar into a single, 360-degree view of the world, giving riders unprecedented independence and safety,” according to a company press release.
Safety features include collision avoidance, drop-off protection, anti-tipping alert, cloud-based data-sharing and low-battery warnings. With LUCI installed, you still control and drive your power wheelchair — the system operates similarly to the collision-avoidance and blind-spot warning systems that many automobiles now employ.
LUCI is available through clinics across the country, though production numbers are still limited. You can learn more and get on a waiting list at luci.com.
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This is a great way to help people with power wheelchair but the agency’s that do most of the funding for very expensive chairs need to get on board with funding. I am a power wheelchair user and have been for over 12 years and like a lot of people who are I don’t have a lot of money to pay for things we live on a budget so funding for this by the many agencies that do the funding is very important and would have a big impact on the wheelchair community . I look forward to getting this soon maybe on my next chair later this year
I just wish I had sensors for the back wheels that stopped the chair before they hist something. I find Turing around or backing out of a tight place can be a challenge becasue I can see the back wheels. Damage cause by even a small bump are a real problem.
I love to go to try out this chair I live in Pembroke ma email is maryeddiekerrigan@hotmail.com
I. Am starting to look at power wheelchairs. I am hoping I can get funding help or grants to get what I want and needs to adapt to my environment both home and out