A wheelchair with legs that can climb steps and negotiate obstacles has reached the prototype stage in Japan.Engineers at the Chiba Institute of Technology in Narashino have developed a robot wheelchair that can make a variety of movements using four-wheel drive and five axes of motion.Like any other wheelchair, it rolls along on its wheels but, if a step or ditch gets in the way, the wheels transform into legs to carry the user over. Disabled access: Japanese engineers have built a prototype wheelchair that has wheels that can become legs which are able to climb steps and negotiate obstacles Getting around: The invention has the potential to revolutionise access for disabled people, who are currently severely restricted by obstacles which are common in towns and cities The promising invention has important implications for disabled access. Currently buildings and areas with steps and uneven surfaces are practically off-limits to those in wheelchairs.The user controls the device by means of a joystick and its robot brain automatically assesses the surrounding terrain and moves appropriately - even adjusting itself to keep ensure the seat remains level.
Sensors on the feet of the wheelchair detect if there are any obstacles nearby, Professor Nakajima told DigInfo.tv. Using its sensors in combination it can assess the size of an obstacle and how to negotiate it.Even if the sensors fail to detect an obstacle in advance and the wheels touch it, the torque can be automatically varied as a backup. 'In this way, the robot can detect the road surface reliably,' Professor Nakajima said. 'If a sensor detects a step, the robot calculates whether it can lift that leg.' Automatic: Sensors on the machine detect obstacles ahead and giving the machine's robot brain the information it needs to negotiate them. All the user has to do is point a joystick and decide which direction to travel Professor Shuro Nakajima tests the wheelchair in the lab: With the prototype ready, his team from the Chiba Institute of Technology now hope to conduct further tests to perfect their invention The U.S. space agency and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) have jointly developed a robotic exoskeleton called X1, .
As well as its ability to negotiate uneven ground, the wheelchair can also line up its wheels and extend stabilisers either side, allowing it to turn in a circle. This makes it easy to reverse even in narrow spaces.Professor Nakajima said he and his team had decided to stick with the conventional wheeled design for their chair, since wheels are the most efficient way of getting around on paved surfaces. With the prototype ready, they now hope to conduct further tests to perfect their invention.'For now, we're presenting this system and form as a concept, and the motion has mostly been worked out. So, we're at the stage where we can show this robot to the world,' said Professor Nakajima.'In the next phase, we'll get a variety of people to try it, so we can fine-tune the user experience.'Leg, Cabinet, & Furniture Levelers Are you shopping for leg levelers or furniture levelers? Shims and products like casters and levelers help you keep your furniture steady. Find the products you need for light, medium and heavy-duty load capacities.
We offer a variety of cabinet levelers, leg levelers, and furniture levelers for everyday use. Everyone knows that uneven legs on a table or stand can be annoying. Legs that aren't adjustable, or uneven floors can lead to wobbly furniture. Levelers and casters are a great solution to this common problem. Try heavy duty casters for your toughest projects. As always, we feature some of the top brands in woodworking. Order online or call our helpful hardware experts at 1-800-383-0130 today. Showing 1 - 9 of 21 results Compare (Max of 6) Heavy duty leg leveler Item number: SYGHEAVY M10X75 Heavy Duty Leg Levelers 2-1/8" W x 2-1/8"H plate Wood base leg leveler Item number: SYBLOCK X80 Light Duty Leg Levelers Titus Leg Leveler Components Item number: TITUS LEG LEVELERS Medium Duty Leg Levelers Stainless Steel Leg Levelers and plinth clip Blum Leg Leveler Components Item number: BLUM LEG LEVELERS Base levelers and components
Item number: BASE LEVELERS Handy Button Base Levelers Item number: BASE LEVELERS AND T NUTS PMI Prisma Adjustable Table Leg 4 pack Item number: PMI330 70 PMI - Peter Meier Inc PMI Como Adjustable Cabinet Leg 600 lbs per leg How to hang paintings and picture frames Hanging a picture accurately and safely can be a tricky job. But with our picture hanging guide you’ll never hang a picture in the wrong spot again.While sitting may seem like common sense (after all, you’ve been sitting your whole life), if you experience back pain or shoulder pain or headaches after a day at the office, your style of sitting could be contributing to your problems. Sitting for too many hours—at work, in the car, or in front of the TV—can take a toll on your body’s muscles and joints, especially if you slouch or sit with your legs crossed or one leg under your butt. Here’s why: Your spine has curves that act as shock absorbers. When you sit, you round your spine, which eliminates the curves.
This creates an unequal distribution of pressure along your spine and back. Over time and with poor sitting habits, this extra pressure can lead to tension headaches, disc problems, and pain in your lower back and shoulders. Check out the keys to proper sitting technique below, then continue reading to see if you’re guilty of one of the four common seated positions that can hurt your body. These popular seated positions may be wreaking havoc on your body. Crossing Legs at the Knee When you sit with your legs crossed, you irritate the area around your fibular head, just below the knee, which can pinch the peronial nerve. Crossing your legs also alters your pelvic position, placing additional pressure on your hip muscles and sciatic nerve. This throws off your SI (sacroiliac) joint and pelvis, which attach to your lower back, and can lead to long-term nerve irritation and back pain. The fix: First, do your best to keep your legs uncrossed. If you find yourself sitting with your legs crossed, do the Leg Cradle - Supine.
This movement helps stretch out your hip muscles that can tighten up from sitting in this position. Slouching is common in people with desk jobs. When you slouch, your head pushes forward and out of alignment, which makes your muscles work harder to hold it up. This pressure puts stress on your shoulders and neck and can lead to tension headaches. A slouched position also puts extra pressure on an already compressed spine, leading to lower back pain. The Fix: Put a pop-up reminder on your computer telling you to stand up and do a posture check. This will help you become more aware of your sitting position. You can also use a lumbar roll or a small towel in the small of your back to maintain a more upright posture. Add the upward dog yoga position and Standing Y's and T's to your fitness routine to extend your upper body and lower back. Crossing Legs Under Each Other Placing your legs under one another in a bent position, often referred to as pretzel-style, rotates your hip and knee joints in a way that puts pressure on them.
This can lead to tight hamstrings and knee and hip pain. Over time, it can irritate the meniscus cartilage in the knee and put added stress on the hip capsule from the constant rotation. The Fix: If you find yourself sitting pretzel-style, quickly untwist your legs. Aim to break this habit over time. To help counteract the pressure on your hips and knees, add the Foam Roll - IT Band and Handwalks to your routine. This will help stretch your muscles and relieve pressure on your hips and knees. One Leg Up, One Leg Down When you sit with one leg up on your chair and the other one hanging down, you're causing your pelvis to rotate in a way that it normally wouldn't and keep it from rotating naturally. Consistently performing this motion can lead to sacroiliitis, or an inflammation of the SI joints, a common cause of lower back pain and lack of stability. The Fix: While your first line of defense is to kick this habit, there are also ways to counteract it. Bring stability back to your body and ease lower back pain by adding Glute Bridges to your routine.