This makes me think: there HAVE TO be open-source, affordable, easy to manufacture designs of mobility items, with either off-the-shelf parts or with salvaged materials. Anyone encountered anything like that?
I think the actual wheels on wheelchairs are… somewhat unique. Other parts might be more doable but you know, you need it to be comfortable and very durable and all these things. I don’t think freely available designs is really the issue here, though it would be cool
easy to manufacture is relative to your capacity. Are we talking “build them in your garage with hand tools”, or “can be made for $40 a pop by a factory in china” because one of those is always gonna come out on top
because one of those is always gonna come out on top
Yeah exactly, I’m all for DIY, but for medical equipment that is critical to care, there should be a big factory making them with strict quality standards and regulations, ideally owned by the state with an unionized workforce (if we’re still talking about capitalism at this point). Both costs and quality are much better at this point.
This makes me think: there HAVE TO be open-source, affordable, easy to manufacture designs of mobility items, with either off-the-shelf parts or with salvaged materials. Anyone encountered anything like that?
I think the actual wheels on wheelchairs are… somewhat unique. Other parts might be more doable but you know, you need it to be comfortable and very durable and all these things. I don’t think freely available designs is really the issue here, though it would be cool
easy to manufacture is relative to your capacity. Are we talking “build them in your garage with hand tools”, or “can be made for $40 a pop by a factory in china” because one of those is always gonna come out on top
Yeah exactly, I’m all for DIY, but for medical equipment that is critical to care, there should be a big factory making them with strict quality standards and regulations, ideally owned by the state with an unionized workforce (if we’re still talking about capitalism at this point). Both costs and quality are much better at this point.