Numotion has signed an agreement to become the exclusive American distributor of SoftWheel, an in-wheel suspension system for manual wheelchairs.
SoftWheel is headquartered in Israel and uses the slogan “The Wheel Reinvented.” The company has designed suspension wheels for automotive and bicycle use, as well as one for manual wheelchairs called Acrobat.
The company’s partners in the development of the SoftWheel Acrobat include the University of Pittsburgh, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. The Acrobat SoftWheel, according to its manufacturer, “absorbs shocks and vibrations while providing extraordinary rigidity and stability.”
The Acrobat is available in magnesium, aluminum or carbon fiber versions, and ranges in weight from 2.76 lbs. (carbon fiber) to 4.3 lbs. (aluminum). Weight capacity ranges from 209 lbs. (magnesium) to 287 lbs. (aluminum and carbon fiber).
In a news announcement, Numotion’s CEO Mike Swinford said of the new partnership, “We are excited to offer SoftWheel to manual wheelchair users, providing a premier lifestyle solution for their mobility needs that can improve quality of life. The SoftWheel in-wheel suspension technology helps manage pain for users by reducing the severity of impact forces experienced by the user as they propel through varied terrain. This ultimately reduces user fatigue and increases comfort.”
Numotion will begin offering SoftWheel products through its online store in September. John Pryles, Numotion’s senior VP of sales, told Mobility Management that Numotion was working on plans to additionally make SoftWheel available down the road to providers wanting to sell the products.
