Hot on the heels of last week’s post about the forthcoming Mobility Roadshow 2010 in Peterborough, in my in-tray arrives a press release from Otto Bock, one of the best hi-tech orthotics and mobility companies in the world.

Coming straight after the England World Cup defeat it’s not easy to sing the praises of a German company but, unlike our players, I will strain to remain utterly professional and I’ll certainly never stoop so low as to mention the war. 

Anyway, Otto Bock has announced that it will showcase the prototype of its latest innovation, the Scout Crawler, for the first time in Peterborough. The all-terrain ‘’platform’ as they like to call it, features two rows of robust tracks and has been designed to take manual wheelchairs from pavements and firm surfaces onto rugged and challenging terrain such as sand and snow. Its versatility is said to enhance movement for standard wheelchair users and enable them to traverse more freely and enjoy a wider variety of outdoor activities.

The jury’s out on this.  On the one hand, it’s a great innovation that will allow the mobility impaired to venture out into places they would never otherwise be able to visit – snowy terrain, rough hiking paths and trails, beaches and so on. 

The drawback is that it is built like a tank.  Call it the Rambo wheelchair.  Here’s a photo:

Scout Crawler Snow_HR

 The Otto Bock Scout Crawler

Talking to a mobility impaired friend of mine who resides in Teddington, London, his view was that you’d need serious resources to be able to use a ‘wheelchair’ like the Scout Crawler – a big vehicle or trailer to carry the darn’ thing, a big garage or outside area to store it, a physically strong carer and, above all, enough money to buy the contraption and all its accessories.  For those with limited resources, it’s a straight toss-up between investing in a Scout Crawler or having a two week holiday in the Maldives each and every year.  That’s perhaps a little trite but it rams the point home.

Overall, though, it’s difficult to be too critical of the Scout Crawler.  Otto Bock continually pushes the edges of innovation and crucially gives those who are mobility impaired more choice.  It’s the same with the Scout Crawler – it might not be to everyone’s taste or means, but for those who miss the outdoor life it opens up new opportunities.  For this reason alone Otto Bock should be applauded.

If and when it goes into production no one knows – I’m sure it will depend on initial reaction and feedback from focus groups and audience reaction at exhibitions like the Mobility Roadshow 2010.  Watch this space…..

Finally, for more information on mobility scooters (which are a handy alternative to powered wheelchairs), one interesting resource is Mobility Compare’s mobility scooter price comparison guide which gives tips and advice on using and buying a mobility scooter.