Nebraska

NE AgrAbility's specialists had the opportunity to participate in an Omeo Technology demonstration recently. The rep had put wider wheels on for this visit, making the base 33" wide. (The smaller wheels are 22" wide.) It is a very compact wheelchair that turns on a dime and is controlled by trunk and torso movements. It can move at up to 12 mph. One disadvantage noticed was that for a farmer to be able to pick up something off the ground, they would have to fully power down the unit, and most likely farmers/ranchers wouldn't want the hassle of doing that. It does very well on concrete and in grass, but inclines (cannot do over a 30° incline) or uneven surfaces can be tricky. The Omeo rep did indicate that it is being used on sheep farms in New Zealand and Australia. Learn more about Omeo here.

Submitted by Susan Harris