Higher Living Wheelchair Systems
We are on a mission to improve the lives of wheelchair users
We are building a simple-to-install device that will allow your wheelchair seat to move vertically with a simple push of a button. If you are a manual wheelchair user please take our two-minute survey to help guide our product development.
Our Story
Hello from Cleveland, Ohio! I'm Fran Belkin, and I'd like to share a story with you. My close friend Diane contracted polio at age 12 and lost the use of her legs. She has been in a wheelchair ever since but has maintained her independence. She lives alone, owns her home, drives a van, and teaches at a school five days a week. However, after decades of lifting herself from her wheelchair, Diane’s shoulders have deteriorated, and she could no longer lift herself the 8 inches to her van seat.Determined to help preserve her independence, I reached out to ThinkBox at CWRU and the VA, where I was connected with a biomedical engineer. We designed a unique wheelchair seat that elevates by 8 inches at the push of a button. This device has not only enabled Diane to easily transition to her van seat but also allows her to engage with the world in new ways, like sitting at high-top tables with friends at eye-level. Most importantly, it allows her to continue using her manual wheelchair, which is essential for her physical well-being.We believe this invention has the potential to transform the lives of many more individuals in the wheelchair community. To bring this vision to life, we're refining the seat for wider production. Your feedback is crucial to this process. We've prepared a brief survey, complete with a video of Diane using the seat, to gather insights from the wheelchair community. We invite you to participate and share this survey with others. With your help, we can extend this life-changing technology to many more, significantly enhancing independence and mobility.- Fran Belkin
Prototype in Action
© High Living Wheelchair Systems | 2024