Wheelchair Mobility Leaps Ahead With Fold-Down That Doubles As Carry-On Luggage

Travel, especially on airplanes, can often be an inconvenient task for wheelchair users. However, a new solution could change that. Enter the Revolve Air—a mobility aid that can be folded up to double up as carry-on baggage on any flight.

The prototype of the innovative product was first revealed two years ago. And now, it is finally available for purchase through a Kickstarter campaign, poised to bring convenience and independence to users during air travel.

Invented by Italian mobility designer Andrea Mocellin, one of the key features of the special device is its unique wheel design.

Each of the wheelchair’s two 24-inch wheels consists of a central hub, folding aluminum structures in place of the typical spokes, and an aluminum rim sectioned into six interlocking components.

These rim sections are covered with foam-filled tires. When the wheelchair is in use, a locking mechanism in the hub keeps the wheel securely in its conventional form.

However, when it’s being stowed, the mechanism allows the hub’s sides to spread apart, enabling the spokes and rims to fold down and be stored between them—mimicking how an umbrella works.

In addition, the aluminum frame of the Revolve Air folds up, turning into a carrying case for the two folded wheels. This feature alone reduces the wheelchair’s size by 60%, enabling it to fit easily in the overhead baggage compartment of an airliner.

This eliminates the need for wheelchair users to check their chairs as luggage, which can risk loss or damage.

Furthermore, it eliminates the hassle of arranging for airport-supplied chairs when boarding and disembarking from the plane.

In total, the mobility device weighs an estimated 23.8 pounds, enhancing its portability and ease of use, particularly when stowing the wheelchair overhead on flights.

Customers can snag the Revolve Air Wheelchair with a pledge of €4,681 (US$4,939). The planned retail price for the complete chair is US$4,950.

Alternatively, users can opt to purchase a set of two Revolve wheels, which can be easily swapped onto a third-party folding wheelchair. The sets are available for €2,838 (US$2,995) and could have a retail price of US$3,500.

Video via Revolve Mobility

[via New Atlas and The Messenger, images via Revolve Mobility]