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=Welcome to WHIM Unlimited=
''We put the '''WHEE!''' in Wheelchair!''

=NEWS!=
We have [[Donors|DONORS]]!  A huge thanks to some wonderful people who donated some equipment and money for our first ''very'' rough prototype.

=Our Mission=
'''''<big>To design, build, and publish plans for a power wheelchair, utilizing parts which are readily available, non-proprietary, low-cost, dependable, user maintainable, and adaptable.</big>'''''

==What does this mean?==
WHIM Unlimited has a goal to design a power wheelchair which can be [[Owners_Manifesto|'''built''', '''customized''', and '''repaired''']] using '''local resources''', ''with a minimum of customized parts''.  We will then prove and refine the design by building the chair, and finally publish the designs, software and notes on a website, for anyone to use.  The designs will be freely available for all.

WHIM Unlimited is researching potential power wheelchair designs using common components found in your local hardware, bicycle, and automotive parts store.  Our intention is for a finished product which can be built by anyone with some [[wikipedia:DIY|DIY]] experience - if you can use a wrench and a screwdriver, you should be able to build and maintain one of these chairs.

We're working with local engineers and other experts to find some potential answers.  We realize that there is not going to be one answer for everyone, however we feel that we can help make the choices easier.  We have already identified some components which may need to be customized (particularly the motor-wheel interface), but are working to keep these to a minimum, and are planning to provide plans for these so that they can be manufactured at a local facility.

For more information, see our [[About WHIM]] page.  Or check out the original [[Request for Assistance]] email, sent in November, 2011.

==Why are we doing this?==
Wheelchair maintenance is problematic, at best.  Parts are available from limited sources, usually medical supply specialists.  If you're using insurance to get the chair fixed, then often a prescription is required even for simple fixes.

That means, if something breaks, you need to 
*Schedule an appointment with your doctor to get a prescription (1-3 weeks)
*Wait for the prescription to be approved (1-8 weeks, depending on type of repair)
*Schedule an appointment with the repair shop (1-3 weeks)
*Schedule a van ride to the shop
*Wait in the shop while they analyze the problem (several hours, with no access to your chair)
*If they don't have the part, 
**Go back home while they order the part (days, weeks, even months)
**Schedule another appointment with the repair shop and the van once the part comes in (another 1-3 weeks)
**Wait in the shop again while they fix the problem (several more hours sitting in their waiting room, still without access to a functioning chair)
*And finally head back home with a working chair

In our experience, this can take up to 2 months or more, depending on the issue.  It can be worse if there are no local wheelchair repair shops.

If you're not using insurance, it might be quicker, however the costs associated can be quite high.  US$10,000+ for the initial chair, $200+ for a single battery (you generally need 2), $400 for an seat cushion, and so on.

== Mobility, not Medical ==
One of our personal goals is that we design the WHIM chair in a way that uses absolutely ZERO parts from medical supply sources. This is because we feel that the medical industry has been compromised by capitalistic goals and is so removed from designing for the user's needs that it is null and void in our minds.

== This is not your Grandmother's wheelchair ==
[[File:Activist2.jpg|thumbnail|Pamela the Activist]]
Unlike the wheelchairs built by the medical industry and paid for through insurance or medical benefits, the WHIM chair will be designed for REAL use by REAL people. It is not intended to be primarily used indoors by a person who mainly uses it to get to and from the bathroom. The WHIM chair will be designed for grandmas of 2014, like moi. (''Pamela K Walker'')

=The Design Concepts=
We've broken the chair down to its component pieces, examined how they relate to each other, and what we'd like to be able to do.

*[[Wheels]] - More Rolling than Rocking
*[[Motors]] - Moving Forward (or Backward)
*[[Frame]] - Something to Build on
*[[Controllers]] - Keeping Control
*[[Batteries and Chargers]] - Power to the People!
*[[Brakes]] - So You Don't Get Broken
*[[Seating]] - Fits One Comfortably
*[[Lighting]] - We Have a Vision!
*[[Accessories]] - You Have to Know How to Accessorize