Technology is created to facilitate human life. Not only facilitate,
the wearable devices such as fitness trackers are presented to help users to
get healthier bodies.
This also applies to those who have physical limitations.
Chaotic Moon Studios, from Austin, is developing a fitness tracker device which
can be integrated with a wheelchair, this device is called Freewheel.
The idea to create a fitness tracker that can be integrated
with a wheelchair comes from the studio’s content strategists, Tyler Hively, who
also uses a wheelchair to support his daily activities.
Freewheel uses various sensors to obtain useful data to
monitor users' conditions. Because it is used by people with disabilities,
especially wheelchair users, Freewheel is equipped with special functions that
calculate the necessary muscle strength and the roads conditions that are
passed by the users.
Hall effect sensor, barometer, gyroscope and accelerometer
sensors are embedded into Freewheel to measure speed, distance, altitude,
inclines or derivatives which have been passed by the users.
With this data, it's not only the health of users that can
be monitored, but it's expected can also be used to create terrain maps of
cities or mountains that will even useful for those who don't use a wheelchair.
Freewheel is using Bluetooth connection to transfer the data
and can be connected with other wearable devices to monitor heart rate. The
collected data is also expected to provide benefits to the lives of many
people.
Chaotic Moon Studios itself is an Austin-based startup
that's recently acquired by Accenture. Freewheel reportedly has obtained a
patent, and now the device is still in the development stage and there is no
further information when this device will be available in the market.