| Since the invention of electric wheelchairs | | | | attendants, in 1655 Stephen Farfler, a |
| and mobility scooters, one does wonder what | | | | paraplegic watchmaker, had built a chair on a |
| the world was like without all these | | | | three wheel chassis with handles attached to |
| wonderful technological aids in our lives. | | | | the single front wheels. This was one of the |
| People with mobility disabilities will not | | | | first recordings of a user manoeuvring |
| have had the same amount of help as they do | | | | independently without the need of an |
| now, and certainly, the government have | | | | attendant or servant. |
| brought in new schemes and benefits to make | | | | |
| these equipments more affordable. | | | | The 19th century saw the wheelchair become |
| | | | less cumbersome and freer for users to |
| However, even those who do purchase mobility | | | | manoeuvre easily themselves, as they were |
| scooters may find it more cost effective than | | | | able to turn the rear wheels themselves. In |
| those who are in need of electric | | | | 1881, manufacturers modified the wheelchair, |
| wheelchairs. There are more insurance | | | | by adding a second rim with a smaller |
| policies and procedures to adhere to than | | | | circumference to each wheel, which made it |
| there are with scooters, though insuring a | | | | easier for users to travel across muddy |
| scooter is much more difficult than an | | | | grounds without it being a nuisance. |
| electric wheelchair. Due to the difference in | | | | |
| people using them, scooters are much cheaper | | | | The 20th century saw the design of the |
| than electric wheelchairs and can only be | | | | wheelchair focussing on bringing more |
| used by people who are able to sit upright. | | | | independence for the users, rather than |
| | | | keeping to the original design of a heavy |
| History | | | | cumbersome device. The first innovative |
| | | | changes made to the wheelchair were the |
| Perhaps the historical background of all | | | | adaptive seating, movable hand and foot rest |
| mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs | | | | and wire-spoke wheels, that transformed the |
| date back with the beginning of wheelchairs | | | | wheelchair from being a disability tool to a |
| in England and Europe during the 1670's. This | | | | postural aid too. |
| was designed mainly as a heavy piece of | | | | |
| furniture on wheels, pushed by an attendant | | | | In 1916, British engineers had built the |
| and not by the user. Much of the wheelchair | | | | first motorised wheelchair; this was not |
| users did not have any independence and | | | | widely used until the latter part of the 20th |
| required the aid of another person at all | | | | century as manual wheelchairs were becoming |
| times. | | | | cheaper. Harry Jennings in 1932 transformed |
| | | | the wheelchair once again, by inventing the |
| Other recordings such as an engraving of the | | | | first foldable wheelchair making it much |
| first wheelchair usage in China dated back | | | | easier to store. |
| around 525 AD, which documented a picture of | | | | |
| someone seated on a chair with wheels built | | | | As the years followed on many modifications |
| on each leg. Subsequent recordings of the | | | | and extra accessories were added to the |
| wheelchair are difficult to trace until 1595, | | | | wheelchair, including a new mobility scooter |
| when a sketching made in Spain of King | | | | used mainly for people with difficulties in |
| Phillip II was documented to be seated on a | | | | moving but have good upright seating ability. |
| chair with wheels. However, this was designed | | | | Electric wheelchairs and wheelchairs continue |
| for a servant or an attendant to manoeuvre. | | | | to be widely used and are now much more cost |
| | | | effective in purchasing, maintenance and |
| Even though wheelchairs were widely used by | | | | insurance. |