It's called the Onward Project. It's about a man, his love of nature, a loving set of friends, and a dream to create a machine that would open the world up to those who somehow lost it.

For those of us who love the great outdoors, mobility is an ongoing challenge. It is getting easier, thanks to inventions like the AdvenChair, an all-terrain working prototype wheelchair that will allow people to share outdoor adventures on trails that aren't wheelchair accessible.

Who is behind it?

Geoff Babb invented the AdvenChair. A former BLM fire ecologist and an avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed skiing, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities with his family before his stroke. He is designing an off-road wheelchair to help navigate hiking trails that aren't normally wheelchair accessible. It's an ongoing project that is in the late testing stages.

Hiking with an All-terrain Wheelchair will mean no one is left behind. Their motto is, 'roll boldly.' With off-road and wheelchair mode, Advenchair has the adaptability to take a rider places that were previously impossible to navigate in a traditional wheelchair.

The AdvenChair prototype resembles a mountain bike. With a team of one to five friends, the rider can navigate rough terrain, switchbacks, snow, and more. These areas that were previously inaccessible are open for exploration.

How it works

Once the Advenchair is assembled onsite, the rider will sit in a comfortably padded seat with adjustable handlebars and brakes. The size of his team is dependant on the difficulty of the conditions, but basically, the unit itself is ergonomic and easy for one person to operate on natural terrain. The design consists of mountain bike components, which are more economical and more functional that wheelchair parts, making the AdvenChair more sports equipment and less medical equipment. It's bike-shop repairable, too.

Looking ahead

As more individuals with compromised mobility strive to reclaim their hobbies through technology and invention, the typical amputee, paraplegic, and spinal cord injury patients will become bolder in their quest for personal fulfillment. This means that physical therapy and other treatments become less about medical enhancements and more about sports and fitness.

This also means that the skills patients learn in physical therapy, combined with their sense of adventure and their family and friends, will help them find new ways to do and go where they want.

Touchstone Rehabilitation is committed to helping patients learn the skills they will need to do whatever they'd like to do in their lives. When we see ongoing ideas and technology dedicated to enriching the lives of wheelchair patients, we cheer because we know it brings them closer to fulfilling their dreams. If you need a rehabilitation team committed to helping you reclaim your dreams through physical therapy, give us a call.

If you are looking for occupational or physical therapy, vestibular rehab, wheelchair training, learning to walk, unweighting aquatic therapy, or other services in the Phoenix area, please call Touchstone Rehabilitation at 602-277-1073.