Limbitless Solutions uses technology and interdisciplinary efforts to address accessibility issues.
Our efforts to continue to innovate and research new ways to make an accessibility impact on our community and beyond. Adapting the same electromyographic (EMG) technology used in our bionic arms led our team to “Project Xavier.” Our team developed a mechanism used by patients with mobility limitations to drive an electric wheelchair completely hands-free.
Limbitless Solutions has created an inventive way for our bionic kids to acclimate to their new device through fun and immersive video games with the help of an accessibility controller. We believe in our bionic kids and further supporting their empowerment by bringing our Bionic Kid Zach and his older brother Christo’s ideas to life in our first ever comic, “The Bionic Kid.”
This project centers around a powered wheelchair attachment designed for individuals with mobility limitations, such as ALS patients or quadriplegics.
Project Xavier uses EMG sensors placed on the face temporalis muscles to control a powered wheelchair.
With Project Xavier, Limbitless Solutions hopes to open the door for a new population of people with limited or no mobility. Tasks that depend on assistive personnel are now much easier and less time consuming to perform, which we hope immediately improves the quality of life for users.
Users start by clenching their jaw to flex their temporalis muscles. They should clench and unclench the jaw for about one second.
The EMG sensors will pick up and send electrical signals from the muscles the user is flexing.
EMG signals will be sent to the controller which will then manipulate the wheelchair’s joystick and drive the chair.
Powered by the bionic arms’ EMG technology with sensors placed on the face’s temporalis muscles, the wheelchair mechanism allows users to control the chair’s movements by the flex of a muscle to gain back a sense of freedom through mobility.
The wheelchair requires only a flex of the jaw to move the chair, allowing it to be 100% hands-free, allowing users with mobility limitations to gain back a sense of control.
Our wheelchair control mechanism takes users an average of 20 minutes to master, which is more intuitive than traditional practices.
Learning how to use EMG-powered technology can be challenging.
It is difficult to determine thresholds of muscle strength (30% versus 60%) without seeing a visual representation and understanding the correlation.
This challenge inspired Limbitless Solutions to create video games and accessibility controllers to assist our bionic kids as they learn the mechanics of their new arm. The games focus on empowerment and accessibility, which allows our team to create an enjoyable and immersive way for our bionic kids to get to know their new bionic arms.
In addition to the games themselves, we are creating various accessibility controllers or adapting existing ones to make gaming a more inclusive activity.
Like other video games, our training games have designated levels. As players progress through our games, they earn achievements that unlock additional, more complex gestures for their bionic arms.
Play as one of your favorite Bionic friends: run as far as you can to keep the Limbitless Factory operating! This game is used to train Bionic Arm users.
get it on the app storeRace your friends to the finish line in your favorite Bionic rides! This game is used to train Project Xavier wheelchair users.
download nowHelp protect and rescue your frog friends from the bad snakes using your empowerment class superpowers! This game is used to train Bionic Arm users.
download nowMore games coming soon!
Imagine being judged on your ability to complete a task based solely on how you look. Your capabilities are decided for you because of a visible “limitation” when you’re perfectly able.
This perception is common and unfortunately very real for thousands of kids living with limb differences. One of our bionic kids, Zachary, rises above these perceptions and turns them into something positive.
“The Bionic Kid: Bionic Beginnings” is a collaboration between University of Central Florida student artists, professors in the School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD), and members of the Limbitless Solutions creative team. This group united to bring Zach’s empowering story to life.
The comic follows Zachary as he competes in the 8-Bit World Finals to try and defeat the story’s bully, Norman, while playing one of Limbitless Solutions’ accessible video games. With the help of executive director and co-founder of Limbitless Solutions Albert Manero and Zach’s brother Christo, The Bionic Kid is determined to take down Norman and save the day!
Visit the Bionic Kid website to order a copy of Volume 1 of The Bionic Kid series: “Bionic Beginnings."
buy "Bionic Beginnings"