The futuristic i-real wheelchair: does it have a future?

It would be fair to say the world is still waiting for a truly revolutionary wheelchair design. Presently, we all know that a wheelchair can aid a person to travel from one place to another. But we also know it cannot always adjust itself to meet the diverse and immediate needs of its user.

So, is there any technology that could help create a wheelchair that is more versatile?

Well, there just might be. And it's called the Toyota i-REAL.

The Pros

The Toyota i-REAL is a single-passenger "Personal mobility concept" vehicle. Whilst its description hardly rolls off the tongue, the imagination behind vehicles like these encourages people to rethink about the way technology can transform modes of transport. Similarly, as a wheelchair, the i-REAL is incredibly innovative in allowing its users greater freedom of choice in how they interact with the world. Its three-wheeled design supports the whole body and facilitates a greater range of motion, so the user can move upright to enable eye contact or lay down to travel at high speeds. The i-REAL does have numerous intuitive features, whether it is the option of using a left or right Joystick Control to direct the vehicle, or the fact it can lean into corners to maintain stability. In this respect, the i-REAL does constantly strive to adapt to the comfort and requirements of the individual.

The Cons

For all its engineering brilliance though, the i-REAL has very little functionality. I’d like to see anyone try to fit it into a back of a car or navigate its bulky exterior down a busy high street. Of course, personal mobility concept vehicles, by their very nature, are meant to demonstrate technological possibilities as oppose to promoting a product that is about to hit the market place. But I can’t help but feel more time should have been spent on making it compact and practical, and less time on the pretty, bright swirls of L.E.D lights.

Bottom line

The i-REAL offers us a glimpse into what potential there is in wheelchair design. It’s hard not to be impressed by the maneuverability, versatility and comfort it promotes for the user. A lot of effort obviously went into making the i-REAL, but it lacks practicality. And that makes it feel like a missed opportunity.

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Permalink Reply by Ailsa June MacLean on June 5, 2015 at 11:48

The Toyota I-Real looks very futuristic and lots of fun but I would have liked to see a disabled person try it out. The young lady who was demonstrating it did not appear to be disabled and when she 'popped' out of it I straight away thought how difficult it would be for a disabled person to get in and out of even though it does change shape and rise and forward.

I started off loving the apparent smoothness of drive of this vehicle, the futuristic shape and the 'mood-lights' (ooohh! look sparkly, shiny things!) and then reality hit me. The idea of it being a single person car-type chair that can reach a speed of 30 kilometers is great but where is the protection against the elements? I would have expected at least something to guard you against the weather - an acrylic dome perhaps. I imagine the Scottish weather would prove too much for this vehicle. With heavy rain and gales you would probably come back from a trip looking like you were sitting in a bath of water. That is if you didn't get blown away by the gale force winds! I didn't see a seatbelt either or a crash helmet which I think would be a must if you decided to drive it in traffic. I don't like three-wheeled vehicles. They scream memories of The Reliant Robin and tipping over if you drive it faster than 5 mph or someone leans on it! The I-Real would be of no use to someone who uses a wheelchair 24/7 unless they have no intention of getting out of it throughout the entire journey. You could drive it to the shops but you wouldn't be able to drive it around the shops not even the supermarket because at 30 kilometers per hour it is classed as a road vehicle requiring a licence. You couldn't even drive it on the pavement. There doesn't seem to be any room to store or carry anything in it either so you couldn't even carry a lightweight manual chair for you to transfer to while shopping.

Sorry Toyota, I don't think I will be saving up to buy one of these any time soon. I do think you might be onto a winner where the mood-lights are concerned though. Maybe road rage would be halved if all cars had them. A quick check of the colour and you would know straight away that the driver in front of you was already having a bad day and therefore it isn't a good idea to beep at them or cut them off.