A wheelchair is a instrument with wheels, which is meant to help the physically challenged persons. It is pushed forward either manually by turning the wheels by hand or through numerous automated systems. It is used by people who cannot walk or who can walk for only a small distance. Manual wheelchairs require human power to move whereas electric wheelchairs can move in all directions or even turn around on a spot, being operating with the help of a simple joystick.

In recent times, the latest high-priced electric wheelchairs have become stronger and more resistant, capable of enduring hardship and wear, while still being very reliable. They have frames which are designed to handle more weight. Some of the new models even have spring suspensions that allow for a smoother ride over uneven territory. Each model has its own particular handling characteristics. They are specially designed for both indoor and outdoor use.

The disabled person controls the speed and the direction of the electric wheelchair by operating a joystick on a controller, which is the most delicate and the most costly part of the chair. A electric wheelchair take cares of a person’s health and comfort by providing functions like tilting, reclining, leg and seat elevation.

They also use electric motors to control and move the wheels. There are many other possible modifications and functions such as a standing wheelchair, a pediatric wheelchair, a mobility scooter, a sports wheelchairs, etc.

Currently, These chairs generally carry a price tag in the range of $1600-$7500. electric wheelchairs are classified into three: rear wheel drive, mid-wheel drive, and front wheel drive.

Rear-wheel drive wheelchairs are the most conventional and most fashionable in style. They generally move faster than others.

Front-wheel drive wheelchairs are very common as they provide more turning functions.

Mid-wheel drive wheelchairs have the tightest turning of all the chairs but they do tend to be unsteady when you try to stop and re-start. In the back they carry caster wheels while in the front they have a extra set of anti-tip wheels.

Electric motars propel the electric wheelchairs to move further. To recharge them generally dry or wet rechargeable batteries are used. Dry ones are now more commonly used than before. Because of these electric wheelchairs, traveling of handicapped people is on the rise and the people using them have a much easier access to places. Whether traveling on a vacation or for education, electric wheelchairs have become crucial for disabled people.

It is really tough to live with disability whether it is temperory or permanent. Coupled with accessibility issues at home and outside, it almost forces the disabled person to live housebound or immobile. Fortunately, not anymore!

Today,technology has created a wide range of products to make the physically challenged people mobile with minimum of problems. Thanks to state-of-the-art motorized wheelchairs, disabled people have more solutions at hand for a reasonable investment.

Motorized wheelchairs are suitable for the users whose torso and arms are affected badly enough and have problems using their physical strength to make a wheelchair move. Hence, they are designed in a way to allow these individuals to control them. They are powered by a rechargeable Wet cell, Gel cell, or Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. They carry a control system which could be operated as easily as a joystick or it could be as complicated as an integrated circuitry. They score above manual wheel chairs when it comes to climbing slopes and steep surfaces. Disabled people can thus enjoy freedom of mobility even on rough terrain and reduce their dependability on others.

In order to help disabled people retain their freedom and mobility, there are a host of motorized wheelchairs out there in the marketplace as well as online. A disabled person or his or her caretaker should invest a good amount of time before deciding to buy a product that really suits the person’s needs. For instance, younger people could have pediatric wheelchair whereas physically challenged people weighing more than average weight can go for heavy-duty wheelchairs. Some motorized wheelchairs even support intensive outdoor activities like sports through a light weight version of the product.

Let’s now analyze the basic models of motorized wheelchairs.

Motorized wheelchairs come with a front-wheel, center-wheel, or rear-wheel drive to enable you to drive it forward, backwards, or diagonally. A rear-wheel drive is the most popular motorized wheelchair. It offers better speed. A mid-wheel drive or a front-drive lets you move better over smooth surfaces.

Motorized wheelchairs score above mobility scooter with better features,seating and posture support, terrain maneuverability, and flexibility. You can customize your wheelchair by implementing reclining and foot rests, seat and legs elevation, tilting, power stand, and spring suspension. You can also use motorized wheelchairs for tight and low-radius turning.

Some motorized wheelchairs are so portable and easy to carry that you can assemble,dissemble,transport and store them. With these features, motorized wheelchairs resolve your accessibility issues related to even the narrowest and most highly-restrictive places.

With increased state regulation and society awareness, most buildings, hotels, public places, trains, boats, ferries, and flights now feature required infrastructure for giving access to motorized wheelchairs. Now, in most of the instances, you need not spend extra money and resolve your mobility , accessibility issues by buying a product, suited to your needs.

It doesn’t matter what the people think, but the fact remains that wheelchair is not meant to confine anybody but is a useful rescue tool. With the right wheelchair, the quality of life of a disabled person increases radically. Even people suffering from chronic disabilities can now move around and take care of themselves with out relying on any body.

On the other hand, choosing the wrong chair can indeed be equivalent to “confinement.” People selecting a chair for the first time (both the disabled person or a family member) can be diverted by emotions of loss or rage, which will cloud their mind and make them unsure if they’re making the right choice. That’s why it’s important to take counseling if the person or the family has problems coping with the disability before purchasing apower wheelchair.

One approach could be that people can buy a regular wheel chair and add more features, which will make the physically challenged person’s life a lot easier. That way, they can transform a cheaper manual wheelchair into a power wheelchair.

There are different approaches to adding a power system to a manual wheelchair. One is by replacing the original wheels with in-wheel battery-operated motors coupled with a control unit. Usually, the motor wheels of an add-on power system are interchangeable with the wheels of a standard wheelchair.

The control unit of a power wheelchair usually offers several features such as polyphonic horn, a LCD battery indicator, as well as different programmable modes. Now the people with upper body disability can manouver the wheelchairs through head movements and voice commands since wheelchairs are now being integerated with voice recoginition systems,video technology and computer-aided interferometers.

When it is placed on a handgrip, caregiver can also use the control unit. The power system can be easily assembled,transported and removed since its entire weight is less than 50 pounds with each component weighing around 15 pounds.

Thus, modern technological advances in power wheelchairs offer increased possibilities and open new ways for people with disabilities or physical impairments to perform various day-to-day activities for work, self care and leisure. A power wheelchair exhibits better performance in moving through obstacles and climbing uneven terrain than a regular one.

Also, long periods of sitting can lead to back pain, pressure sores and poor posture. A power wheelchair equipped with reclining backrests and tilting features can easily address these problems to a large extent.

Finally, price ranges for power wheelchairs are around $2000 for the lower end models and $6000 for the high tech versions. These power wheelchairs move at the maximum speeds in the range of 5 mph - 20mph.