From my iBOT 4000 to a more conventional powered wheelchair (unfortunately)

by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2015/07/07 16:43 +00:00, original URI: http://www.siao2.com/2015/07/07/8770668856267196687.aspx


@michkap hello sir, do you still roll in an iBot4000 and did you 'pimp' it?

— Jodie Zampa(@riiidaa) July 2, 2015

Unfortunately, I had no good news. My iBOT 4000 had been limping along with problems for months, and was now insisting in the way that only an iBOT can that it required service.

With Johnson and Johnson's Independence Technology officially done and their technicians being forced to return the Windows 2000 laptops that they were required to use for service calls, my options were limited.

Then after it stopped charging and there was no way to know whether it was due to needing a new charger or a new chassis or whatever, I gave up. In theory I could have shipped it to someone who had cracked them like a walnut, but I decided that it was time to move on.

My iBOT 4000 that cost $26,100 ended up being replaced by a chair that came from Pride Mobility. Its price is ~$24,000, although I could have gotten one upgraded to nostalgically remind me of the iBOT on two wheels for more like ~$28,000 if I wanted to be reminded of all the things that it couldn't do (eg jump curbs, climb stairs, take friendly passengers, roll while up at full height, etc.), but in the end, it was hardly worth it. Bellevue Health Care is still trying to finish getting the last few things done, but I have the chair to work with in the meantime.

Sigh.

I remember my iBOT, and if I didn't I have tons of pictures and videos to remind me. I'll close this blog post with some of the more memorable ones, just in case you were on of the people who got to see me when it vividly reminded me about how great it was to have a cool chair that overcomes the "wheelchair disease" that keeps others from talking to so many in wheelchairs....

                  


# thetech on 2015-09-04 13:05:34:

Re: "I could have shipped it to someone who had cracked them like a walnut" Could you tell me who this person is? I am trying to fix an ibot that will not charge on one side.

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