Assistive technology industry: working together for more mobility

Dressing and undressing, getting in and out of a car or bus, reaching for and picking up objects – for people with mobility impairments, even mundane everyday tasks like these can become a challenge and create a barrier. Many assistive technology companies join forces to provide better assistance for people with disabilities. Several REHACARE exhibitors are among this dedicated group of collaborators.

Breaking down barriers and improving quality of life – goals that can often be achieved by increasing mobility. Many medical mobility equipment companies strive to make it a reality and regularly bring innovations to market that center on walking aids, wheelchairs, and car adaptations. True to the motto "Together we are stronger", many manufacturers frequently team up and pool their ideas and expertise.

For its head and neck positioning solution, the Motion Solutions GmbH (moso) first sought advice from two sisters. Both were born with spinal muscular atrophy and have been using the company’s proprietary electric wheelchair models for years. The two women also receive patient care from the Holzapfel medical supply store, which collaborated on the system. This resulted in a head and neck positioning solution that allows people with muscular dystrophies to stretch their spine of their own accord, thus facilitating better and deeper breathing. It also relieves pressure in the trunk region or the seating bucket, respectively, alleviates pain and makes it easier to operate the wheelchair. To create the device, the experts at Holzapfel scanned and printed the device using 3D technology. To ensure the optimal position for the user, moso equipped the tool with a multifunctional wheelchair mounting system. Both companies put the user center stage: "This type of system might go above and beyond the call of duty, but our assistive devices are not meant to be an end in themselves. They are designed to support as many people as possible and provide the highest quality of life," explains moso Managing Director Klaus Gierse.

The experts at munevo GmbH likewise aim to optimize wheelchair use: The munevo DRIVE system – a proportional head control unit for electric wheelchairs that uses smart glasses – allows users to operate their wheelchairs with slight head movements. Since 2021, the Munich-based company has been collaborating with the smart glasses manufacturer tooz technologie to create this solution and other applications for the innovative smart glasses. The smart glasses feature built-in IMU sensors that pick up the wearer’s head movements and transmit them to the system.

Smart glasses also discreetly superimpose relevant information onto the user’s field of view. The collaboration aims "to strengthen the autonomy of people with significant mobility impairments." This means joining forces: "Our goal is to profit from each other’s expertise. By teaming up, we want to reach even more people all over the globe and equip them with our progressive devices – for more independence and freedom as well as a significantly improved quality of life," says Claudiu Leverenz, CEO of munevo GmbH. Tooz technologies is not the only partner of munevo. To make the solution accessible to more people with mobility impairments, the company also entered strategic collaborations with the medical technology company Sunrise Medical and Medema, a Scandinavian supplier of physical therapy, rehab and healthcare products.

Moving on from head to hand controls: Push Mobility and Stricker Handbikes have teamed up and developed THE BEAST. Clever minds from both companies have "transformed a manual wheelchair into a power packed machine for every sporty off-road spectacle," according to the Instagram channel, which includes a short demo video from Push Mobility. The video also highlights the simple and intuitive operation of the handbike, which was optimized thanks to the teamwork of the experts.

F. Sodermanns Automobile GmbH helps people without individual limbs and with amputations to drive independently using the latest technology. The company often likes to join forces and skills: examples include partnerships with e.GO Mobile or the rahm Zentrum für Gesundheit GmbH. Together with the latter, the mobility equipment supplier created prostheses and orthoses using 3D scanning and 3D printing processes and adapted them to the driving aid to make accommodations for a missing arm, for example.

The solution also works for a below-the-knee leg amputation. "This collaboration brings together the expertise and know-how of two companies to achieve the optimal vehicle option for our mutual customer. The 3D printing process creates an almost 100 percent custom-built orthotic device that is the ideal fit for our conversion," says Sodermanns’ Marketing and PR Manager Ralf Sontag, and goes on to explain the added value: "Space Drive is a digital electronic system, which is used to operate the accelerator and brake without muscle power." To him, there are obvious benefits of this partnership: "The collaboration between Sodermanns and rahm in such instances makes it possible for our customer to drive a car again. This would not be possible without the mutual exchange of knowledge."

All these examples share the same intention, namely, to overcome mobility limitations and make life easier for those affected. This is made possible by collaboration partners who combine their complementary strengths and work together to achieve the same goals. And there is something else they all have in common: They are REHACARE exhibitors and use the trade fair as a meeting venue and opportunity to share experiences and knowledge to improve themselves and their products. Would you like to learn how you can join them? Then you should read why REHACARE is the ideal destination to expand your network.