Every day of our lives, we take small steps, big steps, short leaps or even long ones. It’s very difficult to imagine life without these things. Living life with a condition that impairs physical mobility can become very devastating for anyone, most especially for children. Physical disabilities in children make their lives a bit more challenging and difficult. It takes a lot more effort for them to do activities that other children do easily. Their actions are limited and they are not permitted to do certain things such as mountain climbing, running a marathon, playing hop scotch or even taking a walk in the park. They can’t help but feel inadequate because of all the physical restrictions they have.
Common conditions that impair physical mobility include Arthritis (Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis), Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Muscle Dystrophy (MD), Parkinson’s disease, Paralysis and Stroke. For any child who has one of the following conditions life would considerably become less normal. The parents and care takers will also have a hard time carrying out the task of being the primary care provider to these children. Since the past few decades, the management and treatment for conditions that impair physical mobility have been constantly evolving and improving. Several Prescription Medications, such as Cladribine a drug for patients with Multiple Sclerosis, are given to control and treat the disease which causes the disability. Various forms of therapy like play, music and art, is also found to be a very effective mode of intervention. Methods for rehabilitation and independence, such as crutches, wheel chairs, motorized scooters and even robotics, are widely used and continuously developed to address every disabled person’s needs and concerns.
The advancement of technology brought in great minds and inventors who developed a way of using robotics as an option for physically disabled children. They came up with an alternative, which is the robotic wheelchair. This high tech device is similar to a wheelchair but it comes with built in sensors and microchips. The thing that makes this device different from an ordinary wheelchair is the way it functions and the high level of independence it gives the disabled child. The robotic wheelchair can move automatically or manually, it comes with built-in sensors that detect any person or thing it comes in contact with, making it easier for the chair to follow the companion (parent or care taker) without having them stay at the back and push the equipment from behind. This sensor also avoids certain hazards like slippery floors, slopes and rocky debris ensuring safety. Currently a new navigation feature is being developed which allows to machine to find and go to specific locations using voice commands.
The use of robotic wheelchairs in physically disabled children has made their lives as close to normal as possible. With the help of this machine difficult tasks are made easier. This technology has been tremendously affecting the disabled community in a positive way and hopefully it will continue doing this in the future years to come.
