MEDICAL DEVICE INNOVATION - Medical Device Daily

MEDICAL DEVICE INNOVATION 2010
Exmovere Chariot could make
moving easier for amputees
By OMAR FORD
Medical Device Daily Staff Writer
Amputees and others who have difficulty standing may
be able to move around a lot easier thanks to a new prototype
that was unveiled late last week by Exmovere
(McLean, Virginia).
The company has developed a device called the
Exomovere Chariot, a “wearable,” self-balancing vehicle.
The Chariot mostly resembles the bottom of a showbot,
robot suits that are used in trade show and marketing venues.
Exmovere said that unlike other self-balancing vehicles,
the Exmovere Chariot is controlled by subtle movements
of the lower torso and hips. Sensors inside the
cocoon-like shell of the vehicle predict the intended motion
of the wearer. The Chariot requires no manual dexterity,
minimal physical effort and allows wearers to closely
approach and reach objects.
The upright form of the Chariot allows its wearer to
make direct eye contact with others. The Chariot is battery
powered and can travel up to 12 miles per hour.
“The Chariot is a concept vehicle,” Exmovere Chairman
David Bychkov told Medical Device Daily. “It’s not a product
yet. I imagine that at some point when our research is complete
with the Chariot that there will be some type of action
requesting FDA approval.”
BychKov said the bread and butter for the Chariot
would be for those who work in mail houses and the military.
“So far we’ve been getting enormously positive feedback
from the Pentagon,” he said. “We’ll need to go a little
further on the R&D trail to meet their needs but this is definitely
going to lead to some great possibilities.”
Production versions of the Chariot will integrate
Exmovere’s proprietary vital sign sensors, environmental
and ground clearance sensors, wireless and cellular connectivity,
a smaller form factor and unique options for military
and law enforcement customers. Exmovere will also
develop a feature of the Chariot that can switch the wearer
from upright to seated position. Exmovere seeks to partner
with an automotive manufacturer to eventually launch a
performance-oriented Chariot.
With its upright form, the Chariot lets wearers make
direct eye contact with other people, as if they were standing.
The battery powered concept vehicle, has been
unveiled in demonstrations at Exmovere’s headquarters.
They are also designing a version that will allow the wearer
to move from an upright to seated position, letting
them ‘sit down’ between journeys, while still wearing the
device.
When asked how the Chariot works, Bychkov says it’s
simple: “Just like a pair of pants. How do your pair of pants
know where you’re going to go when you walk . . . that’s
how simple the Chariot is.”
The only requirement is that the person would have
some ability to move their lower torso. A slight movement
is all that’s needed to get the Chariot going in the needed
direction.
The company has been working on self-balancing tech
such as the Chariot for 14 months. Plans also call for the
vehicle to be reconfigured to more easily deal with an outdoor
terrain. This modification was noted after the company
received feedback that this would be an extraordinary
feature to add to the Chariot.
“The Chariot represents an exciting path for our company.
Whereas our team was originally focused on designing
sensor products that monitored signs of life, the
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