A wheelchair with the ability to climb stairs has been designed by a company in France.

  A wheelchair with the ability to climb stairs has been designed by a company in France.

The ‘TopChair-S Electric Wheelchair’ easily allows users to climb stairs, pavement curbs and other terrain that may have been previously inaccessible. Using rubber, caterpillar-like tracks along with wheels, the chair manoeuvres up, down and over obstacles with ease, meaning less reliance on ramps and lifts. Automatically sensing the beginning and end of an obstacle, the TopChair ascends stairs in reverse and descends facing forward. Travelling up stairs backwards may seem a bit odd, but this allows the user to sit comfortably and, importantly, horizontally while the chair does its work.

With comfort in mind the company offers a broad range of customisation with a choice of seats, padding, supports and leg and arm rests. Adjusting all these accessories is managed by a joystick and a LCD screen or from the back of the chair by an accompanying person.
Keeping freedom and an active lifestyle in mind, the TopChair gives the ability to move freely and independently in both urban and grassy terrain. Long distance travel is also a feature with two batteries supplying enough power for the chair to travel up to 35km at a speed of up to 10km/hr. 

To see the chair in use, for more information and to register interest, click here.