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Japanese Create Hovercraft Chair for Elderly

by Amar Toor on February 24, 2010 at 05:20 PM

In Japan, as in most of East Asia, the elderly have always enjoyed an "elevated" status in society. A new chair, however, makes that hierarchical tradition clearer -- and more literal -- than ever.

Designed by researchers at Kobe University, a prototype chair unveiled at a recent Osaka robot fair uses a bed of air cushions and air-hockey-like jetstreams to hover above the ground and transport its elderly occupants. As CNET reports, the chair can make turns and rotate with relative ease, although, tragically, it operates only horizontally -- not up and down. Still, with a weight capacity of up to 330 pounds, the device can accommodate even the most immovable of aging Sumos. Researchers say they still have some work to do before geriatrics can begin airlifting their way to water aerobics, since the chair apparently won't work on carpet or Japanese mats. For that, there's an Aladdin-esque tatami mat version, which operates on the same mechanics. With the zabuton magic rug, though, users must propel themselves forward and backward by pushing on the ground with their hands.

The chair's creators are still pitching the concept to investors, but, judging from this video demonstration, we can't really imagine how someone could pass up something as righteously rad as this. We can't believe we're saying this, but we may have finally found something that makes the so-called "Hov-A-Round" look, well... pedestrian. [From: CNET and DVice]

Tags: accessibility, chair, elderly, japan, levitation, mobility, OnlyInJapan, top

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