News, Man builds stair-climbing wheelchair. (eye, rehab, cost, broken)

[JD59]

A Chinese pensioner sold his apartment to fund his dream of creating a wheelchair that can climb stairs.

Li Rongbiao, 67, of Beijing, came up with the idea after his wife, Wang Huifang, 65, broke her leg, reports West China City Daily.

Ananova - Man builds stair-climbing wheelchair (http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_3560585.html?menu= - broken link)

[plaidmom]

Darn.

Once again, someone else uses one of my Very Good Ideas and beats me to the punch.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

There is already a very good commercially produced stair climbing wheelchair in the US. It was demonstrated to the rehab facility where I worked back in 2004 or so. Of course, it cost $60K back then. It had the ability ot go over a tilted surface, like a hill, and could raise the person up to eye level of a standing person.