Aug 28 2009You Better Not Push Me Down The Stairs: Wheelchair Of The Future
The Veda International Robot Research and Development Centre (in Japan, of course) is hard at work developing a wheelchair for all the aging fogies in the country. And this is it, the Rodem. It's being touted as the wheelchair of the future. Pfft, I'll believe it when my grandpa has one. Isn't that right, gramps? I SAID, "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, GRAMPS?!"
Right now Rodem isn't much of a robot, but the people at Veda still want to add more features to the not-wheelchair; for example, Tmsuk president Yoichi Takamoto said, "...we could add a new function so it comes to your bedside when you call."
Hmm, I'm not sure how I feel about a wheelchair with robotic features. Yes I do -- I don't like it. No, the only improvements of the current wheelchair we need are an air horn and naked lady mudflaps. Now those would really put the whee in wheelchair -- am I right, gramps? I'm over here, you're talking to a chair. Now drink your juicebox and tell me where you buried the money.
Hit the jump for a shot of some poor bastard with a broken leg toting his own hospital bed around with the thing.
rodem next-gen wheelchair doesn't look like a wheelchair at all [technabob]
Reader Comments
1. Birr Crinton - August 28, 2009 11:10 AM
OHH HEYYYY!!!!
2. Calabasa209 - August 28, 2009 11:11 AM
built for speed.... id mod it, paint flames on it, and let grandma tear ass around the block
3. Birr Crinton - August 28, 2009 11:12 AM
Now that I got to be first.....
this thing is just a big ass japanesefied rascal.
4. Coffee Addict - August 28, 2009 11:14 AM
@3 "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
5. Timbo - August 28, 2009 11:18 AM
@1 loser...
That thing is HUGE compared to a wheelchair..
6. blah - August 28, 2009 11:19 AM
It has no back support and the seat is too small. This will fail grandly in the market place, especially because it probably has a >$5k price tag.
7. Blastphemer - August 28, 2009 11:20 AM
Besides the chick mudflaps, it could use a gun rack, a "pussy wagon" bumpersticker, and a set of truck nuts...THEN it would be a huge scoop of awesomeness!!!
8. GoSS Jerk - August 28, 2009 11:20 AM
looks unconfortable as hell, no back support, kinda of useless for an old tired person, let alone someone with an actual need for a wheel chair. If you can ride that robotic pice of crap you can probably ride a bike and walk around on your own. they also got the most fukgly oriental chiks to model it out, not sure if the one in the bath robe is a chick or not, not interested either way.
9. SiGee - August 28, 2009 11:27 AM
needs naked chick mud flaps...
then i would drive that sucka!
10. Melissa - August 28, 2009 11:28 AM
Christopher Pike
beep -beep beep
11. Slowpoke - August 28, 2009 11:31 AM
FIRST!
12. GoSS Jerk - August 28, 2009 11:35 AM
@ 11 you are an idiot a moron and a loser.
13. jimmy - August 28, 2009 11:35 AM
Looks like ugly ride on lawnmower and has so many flaws I can't list them all,
14. Phylth - August 28, 2009 12:14 PM
"...we could add a new function so it comes to your bedside when you call."
Er, if it's a wheelchair how exactly did it LEAVE your bedside after you got out of it?
15. Ben - August 28, 2009 12:14 PM
Why would your wheelchair be anywhere other than your bedside if you are currently in bed? Removing the feature that has it driving around town on its own at night is probably a cheaper alternative.
16. STOMPY - August 28, 2009 12:41 PM
As you can see from the first picture, this wheelchair is a great way to meet hot lesbian asains... Sign me up!
reminds me of this bike from south park
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/79/IT_(South_Park%3B_The_Entity).jpeg
17. meowmo - August 28, 2009 12:52 PM
great. now the republicans can make new excuses for why their wheelchairs need to be giant. can you believe they logicify owning an suv because it better protects the person inside? i'm sure the other person dies in all aforementioned cases. so... the old people will soon be running us down (they are all republicans).
18. Freddy K - August 28, 2009 12:53 PM
Holy crap, the wheelchair of the future is twice the size of todays wheelchair and twice a lame.
Nothing says "hey look at me, I'm handicapped!!" like a huge ugly wheelchair
chair twat
19. Milkman - August 28, 2009 1:00 PM
perfect sitting stance for hospitals where you have the peek-a-boo night gowns.
20. Mr. cow - August 28, 2009 1:32 PM
Moo
21. mike - August 28, 2009 1:59 PM
im sorry, but professor xavier still won't give his seal of approval unless the unit can hover off the ground. thanks for trying, tho.
22. Vaganza - August 28, 2009 2:06 PM
The ADA guidelines will need to be updated for that monster.
23. livingjetlag - August 28, 2009 2:18 PM
Spinning rims, fuzzy dice, airbrushed dolphins on the side. Dare I say, hydraulics? All together now, "Low.. ri...der... is a little wider..." As to where it went while you were in bed, I assume it spent the night Roomba-ing the carpets and harassing the cat. That's the "robot" part.
24. Birr Crinton - August 28, 2009 2:52 PM
@4 & 5.... you both owe me another rim job.
25. Birr Crinton - August 28, 2009 2:56 PM
@4 & 5.... also, shut up.
26. GoSS Jerk - August 28, 2009 3:13 PM
@ 24 25 ... and the firstard bites back! Bite this you Firstard! ====D
27. STOMPY - August 28, 2009 3:25 PM
@26
ahhhh I get it, its a penis isn't it....
28. Coffee Addict - August 28, 2009 3:27 PM
@24: talking about stupid.... I bet your blondeeeeeeee
***I don’t suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it. ****
29. Lain - August 28, 2009 3:42 PM
But it's so bulky and useless! It doesn't fold into cars, costs a lot more money, and it probably needs giant batteries of some sort. Very stupid invention. What else can it do besides take up space? Why don't you just get a power-chair or something?
30. Jim - August 28, 2009 11:11 PM
Looks a bit aerodynamic for something that goes three MPH.
31. reptilard - August 29, 2009 5:23 AM
The inventor will be rich soon, because this monster wheelchair is probably programmed to make more handicaps needing this thing by driving into whole crowds of children...
32. Free ipod - August 29, 2009 12:25 PM
wait is it only for asians or can real people use it??
33. Enflamed - August 29, 2009 11:08 PM
am i the only one reminded of professor xavier from the comic books when first seeing this picture?
34. Geekogee - August 30, 2009 5:17 AM
Must See!!!
http://alturl.com/obg7
________________
35. Jaded Icon - August 31, 2009 7:10 AM
@ 17
Somebody’s vagina smells like patchouli.....