The Wheelchairs Mobility Interface, designed by Italdesign, is the first example of smart mobility for wheelchair users. Not only cars, bicycles or electric scooters: the concept of sharing can also be extended to wheelchair users, thanks to a brand new project developed by Italdesign according to the most advanced standards of smart mobility. It’s called WheeM-i – acronym for Wheelchairs Mobility Interface – and was presented, partnering with Etisalat, at the Dubai World Trade Centre during GITEX Technology Week.
Italdesign’s WheeM-i is the first mobility service designed for wheelchair users; it’s the bicycle-sharing system equivalent for wheelchairs: it consists of “wheel-on”, semi-autonomous, electric devices, located in urban hubs, that will make travelling around cities much simpler and easier for people with lightweight manual wheelchairs. Users will be able to book WheeM-i through an app, then will reach the closest hub and get on board the pre-booked WheeM-i with their own wheelchairs; at the end of the service, users will return it to the closest hub, making it available for the next ones. WheeM-i features integrated systems that help users to avoid any collisions with fixed or mobile obstacles and it is designed to help them to easily overcome architectural barriers.
“We firmly believe that the mobility of the future must have a positive impact on the lives of all of us. WheeM-i is part of this vision, which we really hope to make a reality,” said Jörg Astalosch, Managing Director of Italdesign.
