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Special Needs, Mobility and Disabled Use Information and discussion for those with special needs interested in the Segway.

Old 09-20-2003, 02:42 AM   #1
RWC
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Default Declaration of Mobility Independence

Attention… A new booklet called The Declaration of Mobility Independence is being produced and we need YOUR help!

This is a call for story contributions to a booklet being produced about the benefits Segways are bringing to people who find it difficult to walk due to disabilities or age. The purpose of this booklet is to clearly demonstrate Segway’s value by using real stories from real people. The booklet will be used by Segway enthusiasts who meet with their local city officials or others in their community. Too often, due to the nature of politics, the fact that Segways are a true gift to people with mobility problems is often diminished and sometimes rejected. This booklet will counter that position.
  • Are you disabled and using a Segway?
  • Are you getting on in years and just find it too tiresome or painful to walk?
  • Are you a spouse or friend of someone who is disabled and uses a Segway?
  • Are you disabled and want to/plan to use a Segway?
  • Are you a Health Practitioner who has experience with disabled people?
  • Are you or do you know someone who is familiar with disability demographics and statistics

We Need you. We need your story.

<center>A prototype story can be found at http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/phot...d=674&cid=1111
OR
you can contact me to receive it via email: rwc@cox.net</center>

<center>This is JR Miller’s story. He lives in Florida and has Parkinson’s.
He’s been riding an HT for about two months.</center>

The basic outline of the booklet is:

  • A Declaration of Mobility Independence (signed by all the contributors) - this will be written and reviewed by all contributors
  • 20, or so stories with photos by Segway users
  • 5, or so statements and photos by Health professionals
  • Demographics and Statistics on the makeup of typical disabled


If you would like to contribute or if you have ideas or comments please contact me . I have a some clear guidelines for the photos and the writing that make the process pretty easy.


<center>mailto: rwc@cox.net</center>

Lean forward, R.

"The best way to control your cow or sheep is to give them a large spacious meadow... and a Segway with all-terrain tires" - Suzuki Ralphi
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Old 09-20-2003, 03:34 AM   #2
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Just a thought--we need to be careful with this one. It will be super-helpful to share stories of people in there who suffer from disabling conditions (even old age) but we need to be careful not to cast the Segway as a medical device.

Remember, the Segway HT was not designed, manufactured, or tested as a medical device. That said, I do know a number of users who use a Segway HT because it gives them greater mobility (and greater dignity) than a wheelchair.

Chris
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Old 09-20-2003, 11:15 AM   #3
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GREAT Idea!

I also believe there might be a sensitivity to portraying the Segway as a medical/mobility assistance device. I think the rights to medical use of the balancing technology now belong to J&J, along with the i-bot. But there is no question that we need more ammunition for promoting the positive impact that Segways have in our lives and communities. The prototype pages are very well done. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. Do you have an estimated completion date?

Thanks for your efforts, RWC.

Stuart Bloom - Rolls-Royce Corporation
FIRST Team 1018 - Pike High School "RoboDevils"
AND NOW A SEGWAY OWNER !
“Who goes out and says, ‘You have a better probability of winning the state lottery than making a nickel in professional sports. And by the way, last year two million exciting technical jobs went unfilled in this country because you weren't there to take that job. And it pays you 10 times as much as flipping burgers, and it's fun and it's exciting and you get to create things and build things and help make the world a better place and help make yourself a better living.’ Who tells them this?”

Dean Kamen, founder - FIRST Robotics
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Old 09-20-2003, 01:19 PM   #4
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I don't believe that all canes are FDA approved, yet would someone take away a cane. Handmade shoes for the disabled don't get FDA approval yet they certainly are a medical device. (My Dad had one leg shorter than the other by 2 inches from an accident, he needed special shoes). I'm sure that others can rattle off a bunch more examples. The point being that a device that assists the disabled has a protected status. It doesn't need FDA approval. An automobile transporting a disabled person is permitted access where that same car without the disabled person may be denied access. BTW Hoorah for Quadsquad!!! for his championing disabled rights.

Fred
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Old 09-20-2003, 02:09 PM   #5
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Fred,

Great points. Let me just add a few experiences I have had.

I met a woman just the other day whose doctor told her she may soon find herself in need of a wheelchair because she won't be able to make it far on foot. She saw my HT, got a ride, and left committed to purchase one right away.

I gave a demo a few months back to another nice woman with a similar problem. She told me that the Segway HT would allow her to go jogging with her husband again.

And one of my friend's father took one spin on my HT and was enamored instantly. It could help him get to the mailbox every day so he could get the mail by himself.

The Segway HT is a life-enhancing product for all those who use it, but it can be truly life-changing for some people. Just like a car can be life-changing for one who has lost their left leg.

Chris
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Old 09-20-2003, 05:07 PM   #6
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I worked as a nurse for 13 years and found that wild ideas and major mistakes in proceedure are the basis for most revolutionary changes in medicine. Having the hadicap stumble onto Segway's just might be the next step in reliving arm pit rashes from crutches.
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Old 09-20-2003, 10:23 PM   #7
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It's hard for me to distinguish between what is a medical device and what is simply a helpful apparatus. Any ideas on fine tuning the presentation to avoid the medical device label?

Stuart: I don't know when it will be done. It depends on how soon I get contributions from folks on SegChat... as well as statements from MD's. I'd like to have well over a dozen people before distributing it. Any less than that would seem kind of weak.

This can be an ongoing project, with more and more stories added as people contribute. I plan to distribute it as a PDF as well as a printed volume. The PDF would come with instruction on how to easily print it out on 2 sides, providing each story with text and photos on facing pages.

Does anyone know an MD who would give me a statement?
Does anyone know anyone who wold know how to get stats on disabled people, RE % of disabled who are in an average community; % of disabled who can stand and control a Segway; the kinds of disabilities that can match up with Segways.

Chris: Sounds like you've had some great demo's! Any way of reaching those people?

Mr. Laurensano: Do you think you could contribute from a nursing point of view?

The feedback is heartening.




Lean forward, R.

"The best way to control your cow or sheep is to give them a large spacious meadow... and a Segway with all-terrain tires" - Suzuki Ralphi
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Old 10-31-2003, 01:53 PM   #8
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We are gathering Personal Stories from those individuals who have been able to attain Mobility through the use of a SEGWAY in their jobs. These stories will be included in our research project.

Mr. Montgomery posted his story after we talked by phone a couple of weeks ago.

We are particularly interested in anyone who has returned to work sooner after being out on Workman's Compensation or disability insurance.

Being off work after surgery, knee or hip replacement or any other mobility limiting incident even a week or two sooner, is an economic "plus" to someone who has been off 12 - 33 weeks or so.

As in Mr. Montgomery's case - he was able to continue to work in his place of employment where he had completed over 30 years but, not enough for full retirement.

He contends that the SEGWAY saved his career.

Wallace L. Johnston Ed.D.
Texas Tech University
Graduate Engineering Studies

wallace.johnston@coe.ttu.edu

MOBILITY - PERSONAL STORY As posted on the Segway Chat/Forum October 6, 2003 Special Needs / Mobility / Disabled Use

Charles, A supervisory assistant (Finishing Associates) with 30 years employment in a building products manufacturing facility is responsible for work scheduling for all employees in the manufacturing departments of the plant. The facility, located on ten acres of land has numerous buildings - offices, manufacturing, warehousing and support activities which often require Charles to travel 5-10 miles per day.

Until recently, Charles used a bicycle to locate individual employees to confirm availability of workers for overtime. Due to the nature of worker assignments, those eligible for overtime might be found at any one of several locations throughout the plant and must be "sought out" to confirm availability. He must often seek out 25 or more employees in various areas of the plant in less than an hour so as to confirm the availability of workers to stay over on a shift that day.

Another recurring assignment is to do bi-weekly shop, warehouse and storage inventories of raw materials to be used in manufacturing. Because of the physical layout of the plant, raw materials may be stored in several of many locations, often separated throughout the ten acres. About half of the materials are outside in various locations and the remainder are scattered across various departments and storage buildings over the 10 acres.

Charles had been dealing with the effects of early diagnosed Parkinson's which became increasingly more pronounced affecting balance and mobility. A year ago Charles was no longer able to ride his bicycle due to the combined effects of fatigue and balance. He was prevented from walking or riding his bike the 5-10 miles per day which his job required and an electric cart or other conventional vehicle was too large to negotiate the ramps and aisles in the plant.

To use such a vehicle meant riding part way to the destination, dismounting and walking laboriously and painfully 20-30 yards to an individual and retracing his steps to the vehicle to seek out the next person.

Given the progressive nature of Parkinson's, his choices appeared to be to either be forced into early, (four years before full vesting) disability retirement which would provide him less than half of his annual income. OR to find some form of mobility assistance which would allow him to keep his job.

His research led him to seek a demonstration of the SEGWAY HT, an electrically powered, self balancing mobility assistive device. "I knew from the first time I got on the SEGWAY that this was the answer to my personal problem."

Charles went to his HR manager and proposed that he buy his own Segway, receive the mandatory training from SEGWAY and meet the company requirements for safe operation in the plant. A "risk analysis" was done to consider the safety and potential for accident to the rider/owner; other workers; and the plant property itself.

After careful analysis, Charles equipped his SEGWAY with a battery powered "flashing strobe lights and a loud horn". Charles wears a Hard Hat in the plant and is considered by OSHA to be in the same category as a fork lift.

"The SEGWAY literally saved my job," Charles stated. "I can now do as much or more than I could in years past. I am safer on the SEGWAY than I was on a bicycle. Forklift operators sometime don't see those things. With my flashing strobe lights they know where I am. Because I am 8" above floor level, I can see things in the plant which I could not before - either while walking or on a bicycle."


"The $5300.00 purchase price of the SEGWAY was one of the best decisions I ever made." The willingness and foresight of the plant management to allow the use of this device benefits the company by retaining the knowledge and experience of a 30 year employee who was enabled to continue his employment in a key position.

Wallace L. Johnston, Ed.D.
Business Manager
Texas Tech Engineering Graduate Studies

wallace.johnston@coe.ttu.edu

Thanks Mr. Johnston For talking with me About my job and my Segway. Maybe this will help other people with some other mobilty problems keep there job's and live a more productive life.Like the state of Florida states "The Segway is A PERSONAL MOBILITY ASSISTIVE DEVICE "


Edited by - Montgomery on Oct 06 2003 7:53:48 PM
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Old 11-01-2003, 01:51 AM   #9
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There is a fellow in Salt Lake City that works at a Home Depot store, who is disabled. He uses the HT to get around the large space and do his job. Iwas told this by the director of the loan program we have in Utah for persone to purchase assistive technology. She didn't have a name though. I'll call around next week and see what I can find out for you.

Sunday

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Old 11-03-2003, 02:40 AM   #10
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Sunday,

That sounds great!

Lean forward, R.

"The best way to control your cow or sheep is to give them a large spacious meadow... and a Segway with all-terrain tires" - Suzuki Ralphi
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