MedTrade and REHA 2003 Roundup -Mark E. Smith

Although two continents and a week a part, MedTrade and REHA were venues filled with new mobility products for the U.S. and European markets alike this year, raising the bar once again toward features, styling, and performance. Permobil

With a top speed 7.5mph and four-wheel suspension, the Street is Permobil's entry into the rear-wheel-drive market, with a very sharp aesthetic.  To be available with Permobil's power seating, the Street is pending FDA submission approval, and not yet available. Available now is the Chairman 2K-S, with Enhanced Steering Performance (ESP), a self-compensating addition to the 100A electronics that allows truer tracking at up to 7.25mph.  From the way it was explained, they're using a gyroscope technology to better synchronize the drive wheels, enhancing straight-line tracking at high speeds. Permobil also showed its Aeron seating (Aeron, as in the office chair -- pictured above on the Street), with an MSRP of $3,082 in addition to the powerchair base. Sunrise Medical

Sunrise released its Guardian Aspire series, a six-wheel compact series with top speeds of 5- and 6mph, depending on model.  As with others in the compact center-wheel class, it features suspension, with MSRPs starting at $4,375.

At Europe's REHA show, Sunrise showed the Samba, a transportable powerchair with suspension. Pride Mobility/Quantum Rehab

Pride debuted the Jazzy 007, a sub-compact transportable powerchair, disassembling to fit automobile trunks.  The Jazzy 007 will be available in spring.

The Jazzy 1103 Ultra features an integrated elevating seat or full rehab seating in a compact package In the bariatric arena, Pride launched the Jazzy 1650, with a 650lb. weight capacity, transverse drive train, and room for two Group-24 batteries or four NF-22s for extended range.

Pride also launched its Stylus Series of lightweight, feature-rich "K4" manual wheelchairs (available now), and debuted its LiteStream concept ultralightweight chairs (pictured above), scheduled for a spring release.   (Editorial disclosure:  Author of this article works for Pride Mobility Products.) Invacare

Invacare launched the Buzz, a center-wheel scooter, striving to optimize indoor scooter performance via a center-wheel design with trailing casters.  The Buzz HMV features a 12-amp-hour battery, and a 4.5mph top speed The Pronto M94, a 500lb.-capacity bariatric center-wheel powerchair with Invacare's SureStep, was shown, available in early 2004.

At REHA, Invacare showed its Typhoon and Tornado versions of the TDX, sporting a more Euro aesthetic. Tilting Trend If there was a single stand-out trend at this year's MedTrade, it was the year of low-profile tilts.  From Quantum to Sunrise to Invacare, power seating systems are lower and sleeker than ever, now fully integrated into almost every power base on the market, hitting 17" and lower seat-to-floor heights.  It's amazing to think that just two years ago super-low seating systems were a bit of a niche, limited to very few bases, and now they are truly commonplace, permitting an end-user to align comfort, health, and performance across the entire offering of powerchairs. More Mobility All in all, the levels of quality and selections in mobility technology increased again this year, offering the consumer more mobility choices than ever before.