Great news for the differently-abled. About a decade ago, Johnson & Johnson introduced the iBOT wheelchair to the public. It allowed the completely paralyzed to rise up to a standing person's eye level and climb stairs. Then Johnson discontinued it in 2009, to the dismay of many, including its creator Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. Part of the reason? Insurance didn't cover it and many couldn't afford to shell out the $25K.
Now, Toyota is bankrolling the development of an upgraded iBOT. Part of the reason? There's gold to be made from selling to an aging population, who will increasingly come to rely on assistive technologies. Also, the Food and Drug Administration re-classified it to lower grade, making it less pricey.
Thank you Toyota! I'm excited to see the new version.
