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From power wheelchairs to voice activation software, there is a plethora of devices and equipment considered adaptive technology for people with quadriplegia. In fact, there’s almost too much to list in one single document, but we did our research and found some of the most highly recommended adaptive technology for people with cervical injuries. And if you have any adaptive technology you would like added, please let us know at info@spinalpedia.com
Adaptive Desks/Tables
Depending on the kind of wheelchair you use, auto-adjust height desks are a great solution for your home work station. No matter what kind of wheelchair you transition to, or if you want to work in a standing frame, the height of the desk can be adjusted. Here are some options below.
UPLIFT 24″ Deep Standing Desk. $569:
Powered Accessible ADA Desk 48” x 30”. $1,965:
Daiah Ergonomic Curved Height Adjustable Standing Desk. $176.99:
Electric Standing Desk Adjustable – 48 x 24 Inch Sit Stand up Desk. $128.99:
Wheelchair Accessible Table with Knob Adjustment. $399.95:
Adaptive Tools
There are thousands of adaptive tools available to help people of all levels of quadriplegia be as independent as possible in a variety of activities. Here are some of the most popular tools.
Active Hands General Purpose Gripping Aid. $70-$99:
Flexi Phone, Tablet and Camera Holder for Wheelchairs. $134:
Magnetic Mouthstick Holder. $12:
Jastick Mouthstick – V Bite Angled. $125:
Adaptive Beds
Beds with the necessary features are a must with a SCI. The good news is that most Medicaid programs will pay for a twin adjustable bed for someone with quadriplegia in their home. If you want to purchase your own bed or if you have a partner and are in need of a bigger bed, here are our suggestions.
Sleep Number Adjustable Bed. Starting $1,299:
These beds are popular with quadriplegics because the mattress firmness can be adjusted and are also ideal for couples.
Member’s Mark Premier Adjustable Base with Pillow Tilt and Massage. $1,199:
Orin Single Recliner Bed – Rotating. $4,299:
This high-end single size bed looks good and it can help people stand.
The Dawn House Bed; height adjustable. $8,994:
Supernal 3 Hi-Low. Price varies:
Adaptive Eating/Drinking Aids
Depending on your level of quadriplegia, there are various adaptive tools available to help you eat as independently as possible. Keep in mind that many of these items have a high possibility of being covered by several Health Insurance plans, including Medicare/Medicaid.
This cutting edge device is the only one on the market that helps people with full quadriplegia independently. An intuitive robot that can be programmed to various speeds, Obi can feed individuals after the food has been added to the tray. The price for this device is the one of the highest on the market, but that is due to the newness of this design. Over time, this price should drop dramatically.
iEAT Robot. Price undisclosed:
For those with arm movement but have paralyzed hands, this device can be bent in a myriad of ways for ultimate customization to paralyzed hands.
The Jaco arm by Kinova is an astounding piece of technology that may cost more than some new cars (not a wheelchair van), but it is definitely worth the price if you appreciate independence and the future of medical technology. It can help feed and drink those with fully paralyzed arms.
Similar to Obi, this self-feeding robot is built in the UK but can be shipped worldwide.
Quadriplegic Palm Clip with Pocket. $27.95:
For quadriplegics who have wrist and arm movement but no finger control, this easy-to-put-on palm cuff (called ‘clip’ here) is incredibly popular.
Built for those with full quadriplegia, this device brings the water up through the straw for those who need assistance at this level.
Giraffe Tower Hands Free Drinking System. $71:
Adaptive Drink Holder (Trumpet Style). $40:
House Cleaning
Independently cleaning with a high cervical injury may be difficult, but there are a handful of tools and gadgets that can satiate your inner cleaning lady.
iRobot Roomba. $256:
Nothing beats the ease of a robotic vacuum. Start/stop your vacuum with an app from your phone.
A reacher for chores and more made by QUADTOOLS operates by a simple wrist motion to make the reacher pinch. Some C4 quads can use this as well. For higher level quads, they offer the “Sip-n-Grip,” which is an add-on that activates the pinch with breath.
LapStacker Flex is a retractable belt that fits most wheelchairs and is great for doing laundry and carrying a variety of household objects. To operate, simply slide your fingers into the loops, bring the two sides together and they will connect magnetically.
Eurow Electrostatic Duster with Easy Retractable Extension Pole. $24.99:
Home Modifications
There are literally hundreds of modification ideas to make homes work for quadriplegics. Here are the most popular.
Electric Hydraulic Wheelchair Lift 300kg Home Lift Elevator. $862:
Most home elevators cost thousands of dollars, but there are awesome deals on home elevators from sites like Aliexpress. You will need to hire an expert to install.
SureHands Ceiling Lifts. Price undisclosed:
To transfer in/out of bed, as well as tubs, toilets and furniture throughout your home easier, the SureHands Ceiling Lift is a gamechanger. This lift has the capability to lift people with quadriplegia independently, as many can operate the controls on their own.
The Liberty Series (home ramp). Undisclosed:
This high-end modular ramp is lightweight thanks to its aluminum construction. It can also come in various colors and has layout flexibility. And since it’s not permanent, this ramp can move wherever you go.
HOMCOM Wheelchair Ramp 10FT. $303:
If you need an economical solution that allows easy entry into your home, this aluminum 10ft threshold ramp is ADA compliant and can clear 1-3 steps.
Go-Anywhere Commode Shower ‘n Tub Chair. $1,895:
For homes with a bathroom door that’s wide enough for entry but is inaccessible overall, the Go-Anywhere Commode Shower ‘n Tub Chair is an amazing option. The shower chair connects to a slider that goes over a standard tub setup, making it accessible for bathing via a hand-held shower.
Elite Gourmet ETO2530M Double French Door Countertop Toaster Oven. $89:
This toaster oven has easy to use knobs and large quad-friendly door pulls. Although many quadriplegics cannot cook, some do, any many that do cannot afford a full kitchen reno. A great alternative is setting up a makeshift kitchen in a room nearby by putting a toaster oven on a sturdy accessible table. Put a heat resistant mat underneath as well for fire safety.
OVENTE Electric Countertop Double Burner. $26:
This two-burner electric hotplate gives you the ability to cook almost anywhere as long as this is set on an accessible table. A great addition to a makeshift kitchen if you cannot use your stove is a hot plate for all your stovetop cooking needs.
Ableware Door Knob Extender. $22:
An easy fix, these door knob extenders make hard-to-turn round door knobs much easier to open for quadriplegics with some arm movement.
Smart Home Technology
There is amazing technology that’s available that makes the home as accessible to quadriplegics as possible, with many of the tech hands-free.
The mammoth of all voice-activated technology is Amazon’s Echo Dot/Alexa and for good reason; it has the capability to communicate with a huge number of electrical devices.
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. $250:
Smart thermostats have been a game changer for people with limited mobility for a while, however the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is considered the best option for people with disabilities because it includes a temperature sensor you can move room to room and it has a speaker. It also works with Siri & Alexa.
The August Home SmartLock is one of the most popular smart locks out there and it works great for people with disabilities. It is outfitted with a Wi-Fi smart lock that senses you as you get near your door and auto-unlocks. It also can be controlled with your voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.
These smart shades can be opened/closed from your phone.
TP-Link Tapo Smart Light Bulbs (w/ Echo Dot). $49.99 & $12.99:
The ability to control the lights in your home from your phone is possible when you pair an Echo Dot with smart light bulbs.
Stretch 3 Mobile Manipulator. $24,950:
A real-life robot to assist with tasks in the home, Stretch 3 from Hello Robot is a “fully integrated mobile manipulator” that’s a lightweight robot body on wheels. It can interact with objects in the home by grabbing them and bringing them to you.
Self-Care
Being able to independently do self-care is a hope of many quadriplegics. Here are some unique devices to make this a reality.
COMFIER Electric Cordless Hair Scalp Massager. $32:
Scrubbing one’s own scalp is hard as a quad; even with arm movement. This is why this electric scalp-hair scrubber is a brilliant idea. You can take care of your own needs as someone with a disability.
V-White Automatic Toothbrush. $40.99:
For hands-free teeth cleaning at a great price, the V-White Automatic Toothbrush is a popular option. It cleans the gum line 300x better than a manual toothbrush.
For quadriplegics who can brush their hair but have weaker arms, the Unbrush is a great tool to easily brush out snarls.
Specifically designed for quadriplegics, Samba employs a revolutionary new brushing movement that combines both low and high frequency oscillations, driving 12,900 bristles along every contour of your teeth.
Mobility Devices
Wheelchairs may be the most popular mobility device used by quadriplegia, especially power wheelchairs. They can help people have full mobility once up in their chair, which is life changing. Mobility devices can cover a wide range of amazing devices. Here are the most important ones to consider.
Permobil F5 Corpus Power Wheelchair. $23,499:
Power wheelchairs from Permobil are considered some of the best wheelchairs for quadriplegics. The Permobil F5 Corpus Power Wheelchair has power tilt, power recline, and power footrests making it possible to fully relax in this wheelchair for those unable to transfer on their own.
For the ultimate in mobility and portability, especially when traveling, the Whill Model C2 is a top-of-the-line folding power wheelchair that works well for quadriplegics. It can come with extended backrest, headrest and armrests for quadriplegics.
Sunrise Quickie Q700 Standing Power Wheelchair. $14,699:
Although this is a more expensive power standing wheelchair, with it being made by the reputable brand Sunrise, it’s a solid wheelchair that can transition a paralyzed body from sitting to standing safely and seamlessly.
EasyStand Evolv Standing Frame. $4,824:
While this is not a full-on mobility device since standing frames such as this remain stationary, the EasyStand Evolv is a great example of a standing frame, which is a highly recommended device by doctors to maintain leg mobility, flexibility, and to prevent contractures and osteoporosis. This model has a headrest which is ideal for quadriplegics.
ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton. $70,000 approx:
Sadly there are no full-body exoskeletons available quite yet for those with full paralysis in both their arms and legs (C6 level or higher), but for those with strong arms and some wrists/hand movement, using the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton is possible. Crutches are required to use this exoskeleton, hence the limits on those who can use it.
Transfer Devices
Not everyone has the budget for overhead ceiling lifts in their home. Here are other options to help quadriplegics transfer easily.
Vive Health Electric Patient Lift. $794:
This economical electric lift gets the job done.
This brilliant manual transfer board has a built-in sliding disc that stays under your butt and glides along a built-in track to make transfer much easier.
Mobile lift 2600 (Victor). $5,982:
A non-ceiling lift made by the SureHands company, this powerful lift has a built-in motor and remote for easy transfers. It can be rolled from room to room and can help with floor transfers.
Foldable mobile lift 1635. Undisclosed:
Although this is a foldable mobile lift that is cheaper than most lifts, the price is undisclosed by its manufacturer (Surehands) so you will need to contact them directly for a quote. The foldable nature of this lift is bar none, making it great for travel.
Adaptive Sport & Exercise Equipment
Having limited mobility should not limit your regular exercise schedule. It does however require new devices to help you workout at home or in the gym. Adaptive sports also open up the world of athletics to quadriplegics. Here are some of the most popular devices to enable both of these activities.
Stricker Smart Quadriplegic Power-Assist Handcycle. $4,995:
PhysioTrainer Arm Bike and Motorized UBE Table Combo. $1,590:
A great handcycle for those in power wheelchairs, this product gives you the ability to workout your upper-body whenever you desire. Comes with adapted handles.
Marketed as a 3-in-1 exercise machine, the VitaGlide helps with strength, cardio and conditioning. Wearing ActiveHands gloves, those with minimal arm movement can use this.
Kayaking is a very popular adaptive sport among quadriplegics who have some arm movement. Special adaptations however are required to help with balance, gripping the paddle and transferring into the kayak itself.
Assistive Technology
Using a computer, smartphone or tablet is easier than ever for quadriplegics thanks to an extensive array of assistive technology that has been developed over the last several years.
Switches
One of the first assistive tech devices to truly return independence to quadriplegics, a switch is an assistive technology used to access and control computers, smartphones, electric wheelchairs, smart home appliances and more. Here are some of the most commonly used switches by quadriplegics.
36″ Easy Flex Sip and Puff Switch. $209:
Made by Enabling Devices, this switch was made for quadriplegics with limited arm mobility. This switch allows for mouth operation of two devices.
Easy Flex Dual Ultimate Switch. $319:
Two switches are in this easy-access switch that can be activated by a head bump.
4-in-1 Joystick Switch. $129:
This switch is intended for those with some arm mobility and it can also activate up to four separate devices.
https://enablingdevices.com/product/4-in-1-joystick-switch/
For those unable to manually activate a switch, this switch can be mounted anywhere the user can reach their head. With a gentle tap from the side, the switch is activated.
This switch is one of the advanced switches available due to it’s ability to be activated by a simple move or wrinkle of forehead muscles.
Considered a step up by many from switches in general is new technology like the MouthPad; a head, tongue, and breath controlled device that allows the user to operate various devices independently as well as their computer and various apps. The MouthPad also has a trackpad chip that sits on the roof of the mouth that can sense tongue movements.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home. $119:
A speech recognition program that lets users dictate text and control their computer using voice commands, Dragon NaturallySpeaking was originally Dragon Dictate and is one of the first speech-to-text programs to exist. It is still widely used, although built-in speech-to-text apps that are present in Siri and Google, as well as in Windows (Speech Recognition), are equally as popular.
For those with limited arm movement, the Eyegaze Edge is an advanced assistive device that lets you use your eyes to control your phone, tablet and computer. You can also control any app or program as well, and control various devices in your home such as entertainment, sound system and lights via Bluetooth.
Tecla-e. $499:
Tecla-e is a Bluetooth assistive device that connects to the cloud and gives quadriplegic users full access to smart devices including laptops, mobile phones, tablets and smart home technology, such as lighting and thermostats. Using controls designed for wheelchair driving and ability switches that offer alternative ways of interacting with computers, the Tecla-e means people with limited mobility can pair with up to eight Bluetooth devices at a time, and switch between them easily.
https://gettecla.com/products/tecla-e
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