Robotics is quietly giving people with disabilities more freedom every day. For those living with multiple sclerosis, simple activities like walking on trails or climbing stairs often become impossible as wheelchairs get stuck.
Inventor Jake Laser decided to solve this problem for his father. This month, he built a special off-road wheelchair that uses a smart quadruped robot to carry his dad almost anywhere.
Laser took one of these dog-like robotic creations from Unitree and turned it into a strong, moving chair. On flat paths, the machine rolls smoothly on wheels at the end of each leg. When it meets bumps, rocks, or stairs, it switches to walking and steps over the obstacles with ease.
Laser added a safe, comfortable seat and a simple control system. After testing it carefully with friends, he gave it to his dad as a Father’s Day surprise. His dad Mark, who has lived with MS for around twenty years and once loved running marathons and hiking, took the new chair on a trail. At first it felt scary, but he soon felt comfortable and excited to explore again.
“You could friggin go anywhere with this,” Mark said on the trail. “I haven’t climbed hills like this in decades.”
The chair looks a bit like a small car and keeps the rider steady even on rough ground. It opens up new adventures for his dad without the limits of normal wheelchairs.
Laser runs a popular YouTube channel called JLaservideo from his home in Los Angeles. He started making videos while still at school and now has more than a million subscribers. He studied physics at university and loves turning ideas from films into real working gadgets. His past projects include Spider Man web shooters that spray hand sanitiser, smart glasses inspired by Tony Stark in the Iron Man films, a flying drone board and jet-powered wheel shoes.
On his website, he sells parts and tools so others can build their own creations. He believes everyone should try making things through trial and error.
The robot he used is a model from Unitree Robotics built for tough industrial jobs. It can carry heavy loads and handles different types of ground well. Unitree makes advanced robots at a relatively affordable price point. The company is currently preparing for a stock market listing in China later this year or next.
Read more: Unitree humanoid becomes Buddhist monk at South Korean temple
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