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1.  

   More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 1:53am

   
   

   Now able-bodied sophists will assume that disabled people have the stair-climbing wheelchairs, leading to the conclusion that they do not need to build ramps or other accomodations.
   
   Medicare sure as hell isn't going to pay for one of these.
   
   

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2.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Son of Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 6:52am

   
   

   $29K is steep, but in other articles on the subject it was noted that some motorized wheelchairs are more expensive - it depends on the degree to which the chair/accessories have to accomodate increasing degrees of disability.
   
   One likely demand segment - companies that find $29K to iBOT-enable a single employee would be less expensive than making the workplace itself accessable.

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3.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Oliver Wendell Jones, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 7:14am

   
   

   One likely demand segment - companies that find $29K to iBOT-enable a single employee would be less expensive than making the workplace itself accessable.
   
   But what happens when another handicapped applicant shows up? And a third?
   
   The building I work in has over 150 employees, none of whom are handicapped. The building has 4 handicapped-only parking spaces, ramped access and just recently several hundred dollars were spent adding hydraulic door openers with remote buttons so that people in need of assistance can open the doors. Ironically the doors all require card key access to open, so you have to approach the door, swipe your card, back up several feet to where the buttons are located and press the button before it times out and you have to swipe your card again and then quickly try to get through the door before it closes on you.

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4.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 7:43am

   
   

   My god, but you're an idiot.

   The iBot can also travel on the beach. I don't see any wellmeaning citizens trying to pave the beaches for the current wheelchairs to get around.

   The iBot can stand straight up so that somebody in a wheelchair can have an eye to eye conversation with a standing person and regain a little self respect. I don't see anybody else trying to solve that problem, either.

   You think it *discriminates* against the handicapped? Good lord. It enables things that no one else is dreaming of. And people like you would hold it back over nonsense excuses like "Oh, this is just a reason not to build ramps."

   Not to mention the fact that your whole premise is faulty. The people doing the building don't get to decide whether to install handicapped accomodations, the law does. And it's not like the law is going to change just because of the existence of the iBot.

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5.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   David G., Aug 14th, 2003 @ 8:04am

   
   

   On the other hand, a new Jazzy electric wheelchair can go for anywhere between $2000-$5000, and modifications to a home to include lower cabinets, stair lifts and ramping can easily exceed $30,000.
   
   I'm sure the prices on the iBot will go down and I wouldn't be surprised to see medicare and/or vocational rehabilitation paying for them.

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6.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   David G., Aug 14th, 2003 @ 8:09am

   
   

   Oh yeah, another thing. Probably a bigger market for such a device would be overseas, in countries where there is often little if any accommodation for the disabled. I've been to Europe and there is apparently little intent to add ramps or any sort of assistance, especially in tourist such as old castles and museums.

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7.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 2:49pm

   
   

   "My god, but you're an idiot."
   
   Actually, your attitude is exactly the kind of sophistry I'm talking about.
   
   "The iBot can also travel on the beach. I don't see any wellmeaning citizens trying to pave the beaches for the current wheelchairs to get around."
   
   Yes, there is less access, and now people will use the iBot as an excuse to keep them inaccessible.
   
   "You think it *discriminates* against the handicapped? Good lord. It enables things that no one else is dreaming of. And people like you would hold it back over nonsense excuses like "Oh, this is just a reason not to build ramps."
   
   Yes, it increases your kind of attitude that the handicapped have too many rights. They don't have adequate rights, and so-called "accessible" buildings are rarely truly accessible.
   
   "Not to mention the fact that your whole premise is faulty. The people doing the building don't get to decide whether to install handicapped accomodations, the law does. And it's not like the law is going to change just because of the existence of the iBot."
   
   Tell me how often the law is enforced. Tell me how often slimy lawyers find an excuse not to rebuild accomodations, making their crass public statements about how they won't "cave in to political correctness".
   
   

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8.  

   Re: More discrimination against the disabled

   

   Average Joe, Aug 14th, 2003 @ 3:00pm

   
   

   You can come off your Soap Box now ...
   By stepping off instead of rolling ...
   Cheers

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