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 Rickie, an Australian Smart Wheelchair pilot:
Rickie uses eye pointing and blinks as a support person does row-column scanning of his communication book.
What is not good about the chair?
"I can't be in it all the time."
"I have to share it."
What is good about the chair?
"I think it is clever and it makes me feel clever when I'm in it. But what is great is other people think I am clever when I am in it".
Speech and Language & Occupational Therapists, Special School:
"A SMART chair can change your life. Imagine begin totally dependent - how liberating to be given the opportunity to move under your own control. A SMART chair can develop self esteem, assertiveness, motivation, and give endless opportunities for learning and language development.
It gives opportunities to be naughty, perhaps for the first time, it gives 'street cred', you get noticed more - you can't be ignored any more. It develops personality and it is FUN.
The SMART chair also provides an effective and safe system for working towards independent mobility for those with severe disabilities. Once having felt the power of control over mobility, motivation is increased towards developing the skills further and working towards independence."
Day Centre staff, talking about Craig, an adult with cerebral palsy:
Craig uses a single head switch to drive his chair. He uses the line follower to get around his group home and day centre.
"Craig is very confident using the chair. He likes to show off."
"It has given Craig a challenge - he needs stimulation."
"There is much more interaction between Craig and staff when using the chair."
School staff, talking about a six year old girl with cerebral palsy, hearing impairment and learning difficulties:
"She is able to approach people independently."
"Much more opportunity for self-initiated activities."
"She has learned she can control others and communicate with them."
"Megan is much less passive than she was before she could move around in her wheelchair."
"The way in which she has learned.....shows me she has more capacity to learn than I had thought."
Megan has now learned to drive her Smart Wheelchair, independently, with four switches, but still relies on the bumpers for safety.
Parents, talking about Jennifer, an 18 year old girl with severe physical difficulties due to cerebral palsy:
Jennifer drives her chair with a single push switch. She has line follower tape around her house, and also goes out shopping with it.
"More people speak to Jennifer when she is in her Smart Wheelchair."
"The line follower allows her to express her mischievous behaviour..she chooses whether to go to bed at night, or not."
"Likes to show off in it."
"She can leave the room herself if she is upset."
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