When I was a kid, I loved playing with remote-controlled (rc) cars. As the car raced from one side of the room to the other, I'd imagine that I was behind the wheel. As I maneuvered it around obstacles on the floor, I'd wonder what it would be like to drive a real car. Now that I'm an adult, I still spend a few minutes now and then behind the controls of a toy car. Driving a remote control car is a great way to escape from the world and relieve tension.
It's nice to know that rc-cars are still popular toys. Look in any electronics or toy store and you're sure to see a large selection of models. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some can slosh through mud. Others can do tricks.
Children with Disabilities Left Out
When I was a kid one group of children couldn't experience the thrill of racing these motorized marvels. The switches and levers on the remote controls were, and still are, small. Children with disabilities, specifically those with reduced motor ability, often do not have the strength or dexterity required to operate them.
Company Dabbles in Adaptive Toys
Rehab Robotics, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, is trying to change that. Prior to 2006 the company had never dabbled in adaptive toys. Their focus, as the name implies, had been on robotic devices for the medical and rehabilitation markets. But, as a special Christmas gift, Senior Engineer Mark Heath, wanted to find a way for one youngster, Daniel Reeves, a boy who had been paralyzed after a car accident, to join in the fun. The result was the Dream Racer, a helmet-mounted remote control.
Don the helmet then turn your head left, the car turns left. Look in the opposite direction, and off the car goes to the right. A nod directs it to go forward, while a backward tilt of the head puts it into reverse. It takes a bit of practice, but almost anyone can become a racing demon in short order. The device can be adjusted to meet the needs of individual drivers, and the cars can also be made to run faster or slower. As proficiency at the stick increases, continued modifications can be made. Driving range using the Dream Racer helmet, at around 25 feet, is relatively short compared to other RC cars. But, the folks at Rehab Robotics decided that children with disabilities might not be easily able to retrieve their car if it travelled farther from them.
Soon after the development of the Dream Racer, Heath created his own company, Dream-Racer Technology. The company now uses the assistive technology in a host of other 'dream-related' adaptive toys and products from computer accessories to game console controllers for adults and children with disabilities.
See Related Articles
Read ATV: Making the Outdoors Wheelchair Accessible for more information about enjoying off-road activities with a disability.
Check out Miller Motorsports Park Brings High Performance Racing to Utah to learn more about an accessible race track for people with disabilities.
