Rowheels – Wheelchairs that saves its user’s energy

“Rowheels Inc. was founded in 2011 with the goal of developing the reverse propulsion wheel concept into a commercially viable product that could help users suffering from repetitive stress injuries of the shoulder. Current and in-development products are being designed to improve the quality of life of wheelchair users by keeping them healthy, active and independent.

Our mission is to make the standard wheelchair wheel obsolete and Rowheels the norm! We understand that this won't be easy but pushing propulsion is inefficient, uses poor biomechanics and is a major cause of shoulder injury and pain. It's time for users to experience the right way to roll!”, it says on the official website.

Nasser's wheel helps target bigger muscles. How it works: Using a mechanical device called a planetary gear, Nasser redesigned the wheel hub so that users pull it backwards in a rowing motion to go forward. Planetary gears are used in automatic transmissions and power tools to reverse and reduce motion, but no wheelchair wheels on the market currently use this design, Nasser says.

An inventor at heart, Nasser began working on a new kind of wheelchair wheel in college. "It was an idea for a senior design project nearly seven years ago," Nasser says. "I came up with the idea and worked on it with a group to refine it and build the prototype. Then it just sat there."

In 2010, Nasser dusted off his plan and entered a NASA Tech Briefs "Create the Future" competition. "I redesigned it to be more ergonomic and lighter," Nasser says. "And much to my surprise, I won. I'd always wanted to make something out of it, but I wasn't doing anything with the idea."

Nasser serves as Chief Technical Officer at Rowheels Inc.

More info: http://www.rowheels.com/

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2eGAAro

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7lq-VT-0Z4