What do AVATAR and Spin Wheels have in common?

[stauqmuk]

I'm not sure if this movie has opened world wide yet but I went to see it last night without knowing much about it other than it was directed by James Cameron. The movie as a whole was pretty good, a little long but fun to watch and groundbreaking in CGI and complete 3D integration. So why am I posting about it here? Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) the protagonist is wheelchair bound and in a movie set a few hundred years (at least) in the future hes still rocking some sweet Spin tri spokes. I can't find any screen-shots of him in his chair on the net but here's one of his action figure.

 

[cannondale king]

i watched that last night and noticed that. there not spin though but they are the same ish they are made by a sports wheel chair manifacter they run off ceramic wheel bearings and weigh bugger all and come in 26" and 700c size a mate of mine got a set when we got back from iraq after a bit shrapnal cut his spine into 3 parts :shock:

 

[JeRkY]

When I first saw the trailer a couple of months back it sadly amused me that with all the futuristic technology both portrayed in the film and indeed in the making and showing of the movie that the main character is bound to a device that would have been recognisable in its depicted form 200 years ago.

Working in the area of products for people with various disabilities it also struck me sadly as a rather accurate portrayal of the wheelchair industry. Which is so inward looking and anti- development it is staggering. Every once in a while a new idea bubbles to the surface of the otherwise stagnant swamp, but it quickly sinks again due to lack of uptake and prices.

Sorry to go off on one, some things just annoy me.

That said there are some very fancy designs out there in terms of anodizing etc. But as to being substantially different to the chairs the victorians used...technically they are not.

 

[Tad]

the wheelchair industry. Which is so inward looking and anti- development it is staggering. Every once in a while a new idea bubbles to the surface of the otherwise stagnant swamp, but it quickly sinks again due to lack of uptake and prices.

That said there are some very fancy designs out there in terms of anodizing etc. But as to being substantially different to the chairs the victorians used...technically they are not.

Much the same as bikes then.

 

[cannondale king]

When I first saw the trailer a couple of months back it sadly amused me that with all the futuristic technology both portrayed in the film and indeed in the making and showing of the movie that the main character is bound to a device that would have been recognisable in its depicted form 200 years ago.

Working in the area of products for people with various disabilities it also struck me sadly as a rather accurate portrayal of the wheelchair industry. Which is so inward looking and anti- development it is staggering. Every once in a while a new idea bubbles to the surface of the otherwise stagnant swamp, but it quickly sinks again due to lack of uptake and prices.

Sorry to go off on one, some things just annoy me.




That said there are some very fancy designs out there in terms of anodizing etc. But as to being substantially different to the chairs the victorians used...technically they are not.

I know this might sound arsey but im not tring to be but the three chairs that my mate pusser has dont need to be changed they work perfectly and the form fits him and is good for him. He always say's "why fix it if its not broken" but i do agree that for other people with more servire problems and complications there should be more options and advancement in chairs and house hold aids. but pusser is only done in from the waste down so his upper body is strong and he is very active so for him his chair is just a replacment for walking .

 

[ekiborter]

The helicopter things were powered by spin too !!

 

[mikee]

thought you were going along the lines of they're both crap

 

[SF Klein]

This was the slickest update to a wheelchair that I'd seen in a while... The guy Dean Kamen who invented the Segway used a lot of the same technology from that and applied it to a wheelchair. I don't know if they're being sold yet or whether they're still in development but take a look at this video. Pretty cool. I'm sure the price will limit ultimate sales but prices usually fall. I remember this first being shown on the US show "60 Minutes" and one of the main advantages of this chair for the user is that it rises up to put the user's head at the same level as a standing person - this helps the user avoid the feeling of "being looked down at talked down to".

http://www.socialsecurityinsider.com/20 ... wer-chair/

When I first saw the trailer a couple of months back it sadly amused me that with all the futuristic technology both portrayed in the film and indeed in the making and showing of the movie that the main character is bound to a device that would have been recognisable in its depicted form 200 years ago.

Working in the area of products for people with various disabilities it also struck me sadly as a rather accurate portrayal of the wheelchair industry. Which is so inward looking and anti- development it is staggering. Every once in a while a new idea bubbles to the surface of the otherwise stagnant swamp, but it quickly sinks again due to lack of uptake and prices.

Sorry to go off on one, some things just annoy me.




That said there are some very fancy designs out there in terms of anodizing etc. But as to being substantially different to the chairs the victorians used...technically they are not.

I know this might sound arsey but im not tring to be but the three chairs that my mate pusser has dont need to be changed they work perfectly and the form fits him and is good for him. He always say's "why fix it if its not broken" but i do agree that for other people with more servire problems and complications there should be more options and advancement in chairs and house hold aids. but pusser is only done in from the waste down so his upper body is strong and he is very active so for him his chair is just a replacment for walking .

 

[alanf]

the iBOT was to expensive! although sevice men could get a govenment grant twards it it was still above the reaches of most so it never sold I saw one when I in the states last, and it was impressive shame it was just to much cash