January 14, 2022 • 57 mins
Happy New Year listeners! This year we wanted to start the year off with some high-tech equipment. I sat down with Natalie Rotschi, Communications & PR Manager to find out about the Scewo Bro from Switzerland. This high-tech electric chair, ensures users will feel confident on all terrains and even a flight of stairs.
Website: https://www.scewo.com/en/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=scewo&origin=GLOBAL_SEARCH_HEADER&sid=JZO
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=scewo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scewo_official/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vot0hG_9ybQ
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro (00:03):
Welcome to DisAbility Talks, a podcast produced by
Abilities in Motion.
I'm your host.
Shelly Houser.
Join us for real conversationsand no nonsense talk from
everyday people withdisabilities living their most
independent everyday lives.
Tune in for the latest newssurrounding accessibility and
independence.
(00:23):
Where conversations aren'tdissed and stories that need to
be told, aren't missed.
So let's talk.
Shelly (00:31):
Happy New Year, everyone.
Welcome back to DisAbilityTalks.
Today's guest is Natalie Rotschifrom the wheelchair company
Scewo.
This high t ech, stylish chairwasn't just built to get you
around.
No, it will take you everywhereand anywhere you want to go.
Join Natalie and I to learn howScewo is built for true
independence.
(00:52):
Good afternoon, Natalie.
How are you?
Natalie (00:55):
I'm fine.
Thank you very much for havingme and giving me the chance to
talk about our wheelchair
Shelly (01:00):
So happy New Year.
Um, so you're joining us fromSwitzerland today.
Natalie (01:06):
Yes, exactly.
We are based in Winterthur, sothat's very close to Zurich and
yeah, it's a cute little city.
Shelly (01:14):
Very nice.
You're probably the furthest, uh, international guest that I
have had to date.
So thank you so very much.
Natalie (01:23):
Fantastic.
Shelly (01:24):
I want you to tell us more about your Scewo and how
they work.
Natalie (01:28):
Right.
So our power wheelchair ScewoBro, is the only one worldwide
that is self-balancing and canclimb stairs.
So self-balancing, that meansthat you drive o n two wheels,
but you don't h ave, have anyforce o f stability.
It's kind of like the technologyfrom Segway, maybe, you know
that, but it's developed byourselves.
(01:51):
And Bro also has two tracks thatare built to transport the user
up and downstairs, but also toovercome obstacles such as curbs
and while climbing the stairs,the s eat automatically balances
itself.
So you're always sittingupright.
(02:12):
The b uilt i n technology alsoallows you to talk on eye level
or take place at a bar or takesomething out of a high or low
shelf in a supermarket.
For example, this is possiblethanks to the s eat l ift that
we have built in and wasoriginally built for transfers,
b ut can also be used in, inmany other ways, such as the
(02:35):
ones I've mentioned before yousteer t he, the wheelchair with
a hand c hoice, s tick andchoose different modes or adjust
your i t v ia a touch p ad orthe app that we have developed
also for the wheelchair andsomething that I would also like
(02:55):
t o a dd.
And it's really important f or us i s t he design of o ur power
wheelchair because everything inour daily life is designed our
shoes, our phones, even ourtoothbrushes.
So when we developed the Bro, wea sk ourselves, why a re
wheelchairs not designed?
(03:15):
S o the e legant and functionaldesign is t he unique in t he
wheelchair market.
And with paying attention to theappearance, we want to give back
our wheelchair users, someconfidence when they're driving
with their Bros, but a lso think c hange the way of thinking
about health a ids.
(03:36):
So they can look very nice andbe functional at the same time.
S o that is possible.
Shelly (03:43):
That's really nice because they they're really
modern in their design.
They're very sleek.
Um, and I would think that theywould, a wheelchair user would
be very proud to use thembecause they are so sleek and
modern looking how many stepscan go up.
Natalie (04:02):
That depends.
I mean, as long as it has abattery, you can go up and
downstairs as many as you want.
So there's no restriction to thecount.
Shelly (04:12):
So when you're tilted front, because of the, the chair
itself will auto, correct?
Because of going up the pitch ofthe steps.
Natalie (04:21):
Yeah.
But you won't like, um, yeah,it's, it's a bit difficult to,
to describe it's better seen onpictures.
Yeah.
Cause the, yeah, the seat isalways, um, right.
And it, it balances itself kindof when, when you're going,
going out, because otherwisewhen you have, uh, steep stairs,
you would be like, um,
Shelly (04:41):
Pitched forward
Natalie (04:43):
Mm-hmm
yeah.
And that wouldn't be comfortable or you wouldn't wouldn't
feel safe actually.
Shelly (04:48):
So how do the, how do the track mechanisms, they just
lower, you hit a button on theapp or the pad and the tracks
lower and raise up the regularseats?
How does all that mechanismwork?
Natalie (05:01):
So you can choose the different modes such as driving
mode or stair climbing mode onthe app and then Bro will adjust
everything.
So if you want to climb stairs,you can just drive in f ront of
the stair and then hit thebutton.
And then, u m, Bro will lower tracks.
(05:23):
Then he uses s ome sensors.
So he recognizes the, thebeginning a nd also a t the end
of the stair.
So all you have to do is justpush back t he, t he, t he j oy
s tick and it w ill doeverything by itself.
And when you, when you reach the top of the stair, t here are
some s upport wheels that willbe driven out so that you have a
(05:48):
smooth transition to theplatform.
And also we have a rear v iewcamera.
So that way you can see whatwhat's behind you.
And also if somebody i s, i spassing you, you can stop o n
the stairs.
Even if you can't like turnaround, because you don't have
the c ore a bility to do that.
M m.
Shelly (06:07):
Like a child runs behind you.
Natalie (06:10):
Exactly.
Exactly.
So you always see what's behindyou because some of some people
don't have ability to turnaround and see what's behind
them.
So we built in the rear viewcamera.
Shelly (06:22):
Nice.
That's a really high techfeature.
How did you guys come todeveloping something?
So high tech with so many greatfeatures,
Natalie (06:31):
The idea was created as a student project and the, they
actually just wanted to build arobot that is self balancing and
can overcome some obstacles.
Then their teacher said, whydon't you build or why don't you
put a seat on it so that it cantransport somebody?
(06:53):
And then we put a, a seat on itand that way, yeah, we created a
wheelchair and now they'recoming more and more features to
it.
And yeah, it's getting more andmore intelligent and smarter and
learns new stuff.
And it's amazing.
Shelly (07:09):
are there
upgrades on the app that they
can just upload right to their,their Bro?
Natalie (07:16):
Exactly.
Um, we are sending, um, updatesover the air, like kind of like
a Tesla.
You can just update your Bro viathe app.
And then that way we can add newfeatures, um, or we can improve
existing ones.
And all our Bro drivers are allour customers that are out there
(07:38):
are giving us some inputs orsome wishes.
For example, just recently theywanted a more stable parking
position.
So when they're recently, forexample, they wanted a more
stable, um, parking position.
So when they're driving with atrain or bus that they will
(07:58):
stable, more stable.
So we implemented that in oursoftware and sent it to them via
update and they could downloadthat on to, uh, their
wheelchair.
And now they have the morestable parking position and it's
really easy.
Yeah.
You just have to push like threebuttons and then you have it.
Shelly (08:19):
Do you ever try to implement something and, and
have your current customers tryit out and just to test it and
see how a new feature orfunction would work and get
feedback from them to improve itthat way?
Natalie (08:32):
Yeah.
We, we always, um, take theirfeedback or implement something
that we think would be helpfulor would be cool.
And then we send out the, theupdate and then they can go get
back to us and tell us, oh, thattotal crap, we don't want that.
Or we don't need that.
Or they tell us, yeah, that'samazing.
Or maybe you could do somethinglike that, or that would be more
(08:53):
helpful.
And we also developed ourwheelchair in, in kind of like a
feedback loop yeah.
With users, because it's reallysad, but we don't really have
the understanding for the needsof wheelchair users or we hadn't
(09:14):
had these understandings.
And so we needed that directfeedback.
And so we could build a, adevice that really helps them
and they can really use in theireveryday lives.
So we always work really closewith our customers together.
And it's, it's really, reallynice.
(09:35):
We cuz they have so many ideasand are really motivated to, to
improve our wheelchair.
And it's really cool.
Shelly (09:42):
They're, they're helping you to create a better product,
which Is really great.
Natalie (09:44):
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
Shelly (09:47):
Do dou have users worldwide using the Bro at this
moment?
Natalie (09:51):
Not worldwide.
Only here in Switzerland.
In Germany and in Austria, butwe are thinking about expanding
to other countries in Europe,firstly, and then hopefully, but
uh, as soon as possible toAmerica, we don't have any
concrete plans at the moment.
Shelly (10:09):
Okay.
So how do, how do people findyou if they wanna test this out?
Do they have to come toSwitzerland?
Natalie (10:17):
When they are from Germany or Austria?
We work with partners.
So they yeah.
A partner of us or, or weourselves, um, come to them at
home or yeah.
Visit them at home or they cancome to us or that's always
possible.
Or maybe we are at some fairs orevents in their neighborhoods,
(10:38):
so they can also visit us there.
Nice
Shelly (10:41):
Wheelchair users are often in their chairs for hours
on end, you know, all day long.
And so how comfortable is thisand, and how do you improve it
if it's, if it's not what theywant.
Natalie (10:53):
Um, we think that our wheelchair is very comfortable
and we are also developing aspecial back cushion to make it
even more comfortable.
Uh, but it's also possible tomount various other cushions on
the wheelchair so that eachcustomer can choose one that
suits his or her needs.
(11:15):
And you can also make variousadjustments, um, electronically
or manually so that thewheelchair is, is optimally, um,
adjusted to the user.
So his leg length and stuff likethat.
So you can also add various addons, such as a yeah.
A other joy stick that is morecomfortable for you and stuff
(11:38):
like.
Shelly (11:39):
So it's, it's customized just like a prosthetic limb or a
walking cane where you addlittle bells and whistles to
make it exactly what you need itto be.
Natalie (11:48):
Exactly.
So that we can, we can meet theneeds of every individual user
because yeah, everybody hasother needs, some need a softer
cushion, some need a hardcushion it's has to be more
wider or smaller and stuff likethat.
And it's really important for usthat it's possible also to mount
(12:11):
other products that are from us,but also from our competitors,
because it's sometimes it'seasier just to add, uh, a
different cushion or stuff.
Shelly (12:21):
I think with that, we're gonna take a short commercial
break.
AD (12:24):
Abilities in Motion is a Pennsylvania based, nonprofit
organization dedicated tohelping individuals with
disabilities live their lives ontheir own terms.
Abilities in Motion strives toeliminate psychological
stereotypes, physical barriersand outdated attitudes that
prevent social and civicinclusion as well as promote the
independent living movement toempower, educate, and advocate
(12:45):
for individuals withdisabilities.
For more information aboutprograms and services, Abilities
in Motion provides call 610-376- 0010 or visit our website
at www.abilitiesinmotion.org.
Shelly (13:02):
Welcome back listeners.
We are here with Natalie fromScewo, the high tech, stylish
chair that gets you everywhereand anywhere you want to go.
So in talking aboutindependence, we are a center
for independent living here inthe United States, and that is
our mission and our goal.
What kind of feedback have someof your wheelchair users given
(13:22):
you as far as what independenceit, the Scewo gives them.?
Natalie (13:27):
Actually, we have gotten a lot of feedback about
independence or especiallyflexibility to that.
They got back cause with thedifferent modes of our
wheelchair, with the, with thewheels, with the tracks and
everything, they don't have tocheck every step on their way
(13:48):
because with Bro, there isalways a possibility to get to
the destination.
Cause I mean, if there are, aresome steps, just put on stair
climbing mode, if the street istoo steep, you can go up there
with the track.
If there is a forest path youcan drive through with the, with
the wheels, there's always apossibility to get there.
(14:12):
And actually they are travelingaround everywhere in the world.
And one of our customers wasrecently in Italy and there was
that catacombs that it wasreally old and historic and
yeah, of course it wasn't, uh,able, yeah.
Other wheelchairs weren't ableto go down the stairs and it was
(14:34):
like, yeah, that's not aproblem.
I can just drive down.
And he was probably the firstwheelchair user that was ever
down in that catacombs and yeah,that feedback is just amazing
and it encourages us every dayin our work.
And what we do.
Shelly (14:50):
Have you tried it out, have you tried the Bro and
ridden it round for the day?
Natalie (14:52):
Yeah, of course.
Yeah, of course we, we all useBro like weekly or daily even
so, and we always do that kindof, uh, um, short, um, um, how
to say, um, no, a winter drive.
So we test all the functions inyeah, the test.
(15:13):
Yeah.
Uh, we try out all the functionsand also how it works in
situations that we have in oureveryday lives.
So we go to restaurants or wedrive with, uh, public transport
and stuff like that.
So we know exactly how it worksin these situations.
Shelly (15:33):
How often, or how long does it take a, a new user to
get used to all the functionsand feel secure going up, you
know, a flight of steps,especially like in a sub, a
subway or a tube situation thatcould be a little scary to go
down backwards?
Um, how long does it take themto adapt to this?
Natalie (15:54):
That always depends on the user.
Also, if somebody has, um, a lotof experience with, with power
chair, power wheelchairs, thehandling is already known and is
therefore easier.
And in, in order to make every,every one of our road drivers
feel safe and comfortable, wealways train them on our
(16:17):
wheelchairs.
So that training consists, um,an online theory test and also a
practical part where we show andexplain all the functions with
the user and drive around withthem and go up and downstairs
with them and stuff like that.
So they have experienced everyfunction before they're on their
(16:41):
selves.
And we also, we have some explanexplanatory videos on our
YouTube channels, so they can gothere and have a backup every
time they, they about function.
Or they're not sure how to usethat.
Um, and yeah, they, they canalways contact us and we do a
lot of video calls to show themhow, how everything works and
(17:05):
where they have to push andstuff like that
Shelly (17:07):
And walk'em through it.
So is what kind of people areusing, is it just younger
generations or is it a of people?
Natalie (17:17):
Um, all kind of people.
We have some Bro drivers thatare just 15 years old, but we
also have some that are over 60years old and yeah, our
wheelchair is something foreveryone that is physically and
cognitively able to drive apower wheelchair share with a
hand twist.
And our customers are peoplethat want to be flexible and
(17:40):
live a self-determined life withthe possibility to go almost
anywhere and do almosteverything they want to
independently.
So it's kind, yeah.
Kind of something for everybody.
,
Shelly (17:55):
What's your favorite feature on the Bro?
Natalie (17:57):
My favorite feature is actually the, the height
adjustment.
I think it's amazing when you goto, to like an opera and you can
talk to others at eye level andthey don't always talk down on
you because I think that issomething that is missing if
you're in some kind of otherwheelchair because you, yeah.
(18:18):
You always been talked down to,and I think that gives you a lot
of confidence if you're an eyelevel and yeah.
I can have a drink at the bar,stuff like that.
I think it's the small things.
Yeah.
It is
Shelly (18:33):
It's a mazing.
I t hink i t, i t directlycognitively impacts their
self-esteem.
Exactly.
Natalie (18:42):
Yeah.
I think so.
Shelly (18:43):
You've tried that feature.
Yeah,
Natalie (18:45):
Of course.
Of course
Shelly (18:46):
A nd, a nd yeah.
And you notice it makes a big,how tall can the chair go?
How high up?
Natalie (18:52):
Um, so the, the seat is at, um, 81 centimeters, then
there is a, yeah.
There is like your, your bodyheight as well.
And yeah, I don't, I don't know.
So your, your eyes are at aboutone meter and, and 80 maybe
seventies.
So yeah, you're just like, uh, ataller person sometimes when
(19:15):
you're really tall, you canactually talk down on other
people that are not in thewheelchair.
So that's amazing.
Shelly (19:23):
well, that's a
good twist of it.
(laughter) Y eah.
That's g ot boost your ego f ors ure.
Natalie (19:30):
Exactly.
That's that's just the point ofit.
Shelly (19:34):
So besides your, uh, YouTube channel, where else can
our listeners worldwide find outmore about this technology and
where to find you guys?
Natalie (19:45):
They can find us, uh, well, on our website, they're
all the informations and we areon Instagram, on Facebook and on
LinkedIn and yeah, they canalways contact us if they have
any questions.
We are always happy to help andexplain,
Shelly (20:02):
I believe there is a phone number on your website,
correct?
Natalie (20:06):
Exactly.
And also email on, you can alsocontact us on, on Facebook or
Instagram.
We will always get back to yousomehow.
Shelly (20:15):
Very good.
Well, Natalie, I think that isit for our show today.
Happy New Year.
And thank you for being here.
Natalie (20:22):
Thank you very much for having me and Happy New Year to
you too.
All the Best.
Shelly (20:26):
Yes.
Thank you.
I hope to see Scewo Bro.
On our streets in the UnitedStates this year in 22,
Natalie (20:33):
We would love that
Shelly (20:37):
I know, right.
And to our listeners, don'tforget to hit that like and
subscribe button.
So you never miss an opportunityto listen to disability talks.
Outro (21:07):
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of disability
talks, wanna keep theconversation going?
Then visit ourwebsite@abilitiesinmotion.org or
connect with us on social media.
And remember don't dis myability.
Welcome to DisAbility Talks, a podcast produced by
Abilities in Motion.
I'm your host.
Shelly Houser.
Join us for real conversationsand no nonsense talk from
everyday people withdisabilities living their most
independent everyday lives.
Tune in for the latest newssurrounding accessibility and
independence.
(00:23):
Where conversations aren'tdissed and stories that need to
be told, aren't missed.
So let's talk.
Shelly (00:31):
Happy New Year, everyone.
Welcome back to DisAbilityTalks.
Today's guest is Natalie Rotschifrom the wheelchair company
Scewo.
This high t ech, stylish chairwasn't just built to get you
around.
No, it will take you everywhereand anywhere you want to go.
Join Natalie and I to learn howScewo is built for true
independence.
(00:52):
Good afternoon, Natalie.
How are you?
Natalie (00:55):
I'm fine.
Thank you very much for havingme and giving me the chance to
talk about our wheelchair
Shelly (01:00):
So happy New Year.
Um, so you're joining us fromSwitzerland today.
Natalie (01:06):
Yes, exactly.
We are based in Winterthur, sothat's very close to Zurich and
yeah, it's a cute little city.
Shelly (01:14):
Very nice.
You're probably the furthest, uh, international guest that I
have had to date.
So thank you so very much.
Natalie (01:23):
Fantastic.
Shelly (01:24):
I want you to tell us more about your Scewo and how
they work.
Natalie (01:28):
Right.
So our power wheelchair ScewoBro, is the only one worldwide
that is self-balancing and canclimb stairs.
So self-balancing, that meansthat you drive o n two wheels,
but you don't h ave, have anyforce o f stability.
It's kind of like the technologyfrom Segway, maybe, you know
that, but it's developed byourselves.
(01:51):
And Bro also has two tracks thatare built to transport the user
up and downstairs, but also toovercome obstacles such as curbs
and while climbing the stairs,the s eat automatically balances
itself.
So you're always sittingupright.
(02:12):
The b uilt i n technology alsoallows you to talk on eye level
or take place at a bar or takesomething out of a high or low
shelf in a supermarket.
For example, this is possiblethanks to the s eat l ift that
we have built in and wasoriginally built for transfers,
b ut can also be used in, inmany other ways, such as the
(02:35):
ones I've mentioned before yousteer t he, the wheelchair with
a hand c hoice, s tick andchoose different modes or adjust
your i t v ia a touch p ad orthe app that we have developed
also for the wheelchair andsomething that I would also like
(02:55):
t o a dd.
And it's really important f or us i s t he design of o ur power
wheelchair because everything inour daily life is designed our
shoes, our phones, even ourtoothbrushes.
So when we developed the Bro, wea sk ourselves, why a re
wheelchairs not designed?
(03:15):
S o the e legant and functionaldesign is t he unique in t he
wheelchair market.
And with paying attention to theappearance, we want to give back
our wheelchair users, someconfidence when they're driving
with their Bros, but a lso think c hange the way of thinking
about health a ids.
(03:36):
So they can look very nice andbe functional at the same time.
S o that is possible.
Shelly (03:43):
That's really nice because they they're really
modern in their design.
They're very sleek.
Um, and I would think that theywould, a wheelchair user would
be very proud to use thembecause they are so sleek and
modern looking how many stepscan go up.
Natalie (04:02):
That depends.
I mean, as long as it has abattery, you can go up and
downstairs as many as you want.
So there's no restriction to thecount.
Shelly (04:12):
So when you're tilted front, because of the, the chair
itself will auto, correct?
Because of going up the pitch ofthe steps.
Natalie (04:21):
Yeah.
But you won't like, um, yeah,it's, it's a bit difficult to,
to describe it's better seen onpictures.
Yeah.
Cause the, yeah, the seat isalways, um, right.
And it, it balances itself kindof when, when you're going,
going out, because otherwisewhen you have, uh, steep stairs,
you would be like, um,
Shelly (04:41):
Pitched forward
Natalie (04:43):
Mm-hmm
And that wouldn't be comfortable
feel safe actually.
Shelly (04:48):
So how do the, how do the track mechanisms, they just
lower, you hit a button on theapp or the pad and the tracks
lower and raise up the regularseats?
How does all that mechanismwork?
Natalie (05:01):
So you can choose the different modes such as driving
mode or stair climbing mode onthe app and then Bro will adjust
everything.
So if you want to climb stairs,you can just drive in f ront of
the stair and then hit thebutton.
And then, u m, Bro will lower tracks.
(05:23):
Then he uses s ome sensors.
So he recognizes the, thebeginning a nd also a t the end
of the stair.
So all you have to do is justpush back t he, t he, t he j oy
s tick and it w ill doeverything by itself.
And when you, when you reach the top of the stair, t here are
some s upport wheels that willbe driven out so that you have a
(05:48):
smooth transition to theplatform.
And also we have a rear v iewcamera.
So that way you can see whatwhat's behind you.
And also if somebody i s, i spassing you, you can stop o n
the stairs.
Even if you can't like turnaround, because you don't have
the c ore a bility to do that.
M m.
Shelly (06:07):
Like a child runs behind you.
Natalie (06:10):
Exactly.
Exactly.
So you always see what's behindyou because some of some people
don't have ability to turnaround and see what's behind
them.
So we built in the rear viewcamera.
Shelly (06:22):
Nice.
That's a really high techfeature.
How did you guys come todeveloping something?
So high tech with so many greatfeatures,
Natalie (06:31):
The idea was created as a student project and the, they
actually just wanted to build arobot that is self balancing and
can overcome some obstacles.
Then their teacher said, whydon't you build or why don't you
put a seat on it so that it cantransport somebody?
(06:53):
And then we put a, a seat on itand that way, yeah, we created a
wheelchair and now they'recoming more and more features to
it.
And yeah, it's getting more andmore intelligent and smarter and
learns new stuff.
And it's amazing.
Shelly (07:09):
can just upload right to their,their Bro?
Natalie (07:16):
Exactly.
Um, we are sending, um, updatesover the air, like kind of like
a Tesla.
You can just update your Bro viathe app.
And then that way we can add newfeatures, um, or we can improve
existing ones.
And all our Bro drivers are allour customers that are out there
(07:38):
are giving us some inputs orsome wishes.
For example, just recently theywanted a more stable parking
position.
So when they're recently, forexample, they wanted a more
stable, um, parking position.
So when they're driving with atrain or bus that they will
(07:58):
stable, more stable.
So we implemented that in oursoftware and sent it to them via
update and they could downloadthat on to, uh, their
wheelchair.
And now they have the morestable parking position and it's
really easy.
Yeah.
You just have to push like threebuttons and then you have it.
Shelly (08:19):
Do you ever try to implement something and, and
have your current customers tryit out and just to test it and
see how a new feature orfunction would work and get
feedback from them to improve itthat way?
Natalie (08:32):
Yeah.
We, we always, um, take theirfeedback or implement something
that we think would be helpfulor would be cool.
And then we send out the, theupdate and then they can go get
back to us and tell us, oh, thattotal crap, we don't want that.
Or we don't need that.
Or they tell us, yeah, that'samazing.
Or maybe you could do somethinglike that, or that would be more
(08:53):
helpful.
And we also developed ourwheelchair in, in kind of like a
feedback loop yeah.
With users, because it's reallysad, but we don't really have
the understanding for the needsof wheelchair users or we hadn't
(09:14):
had these understandings.
And so we needed that directfeedback.
And so we could build a, adevice that really helps them
and they can really use in theireveryday lives.
So we always work really closewith our customers together.
And it's, it's really, reallynice.
(09:35):
We cuz they have so many ideasand are really motivated to, to
improve our wheelchair.
And it's really cool.
Shelly (09:42):
They're, they're helping you to create a better product,
which Is really great.
Natalie (09:44):
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
Shelly (09:47):
Do dou have users worldwide using the Bro at this
moment?
Natalie (09:51):
Not worldwide.
Only here in Switzerland.
In Germany and in Austria, butwe are thinking about expanding
to other countries in Europe,firstly, and then hopefully, but
uh, as soon as possible toAmerica, we don't have any
concrete plans at the moment.
Shelly (10:09):
Okay.
So how do, how do people findyou if they wanna test this out?
Do they have to come toSwitzerland?
Natalie (10:17):
When they are from Germany or Austria?
We work with partners.
So they yeah.
A partner of us or, or weourselves, um, come to them at
home or yeah.
Visit them at home or they cancome to us or that's always
possible.
Or maybe we are at some fairs orevents in their neighborhoods,
(10:38):
so they can also visit us there.
Nice
Shelly (10:41):
Wheelchair users are often in their chairs for hours
on end, you know, all day long.
And so how comfortable is thisand, and how do you improve it
if it's, if it's not what theywant.
Natalie (10:53):
Um, we think that our wheelchair is very comfortable
and we are also developing aspecial back cushion to make it
even more comfortable.
Uh, but it's also possible tomount various other cushions on
the wheelchair so that eachcustomer can choose one that
suits his or her needs.
(11:15):
And you can also make variousadjustments, um, electronically
or manually so that thewheelchair is, is optimally, um,
adjusted to the user.
So his leg length and stuff likethat.
So you can also add various addons, such as a yeah.
A other joy stick that is morecomfortable for you and stuff
(11:38):
like.
Shelly (11:39):
So it's, it's customized just like a prosthetic limb or a
walking cane where you addlittle bells and whistles to
make it exactly what you need itto be.
Natalie (11:48):
Exactly.
So that we can, we can meet theneeds of every individual user
because yeah, everybody hasother needs, some need a softer
cushion, some need a hardcushion it's has to be more
wider or smaller and stuff likethat.
And it's really important for usthat it's possible also to mount
(12:11):
other products that are from us,but also from our competitors,
because it's sometimes it'seasier just to add, uh, a
different cushion or stuff.
Shelly (12:21):
I think with that, we're gonna take a short commercial
break.
AD (12:24):
Abilities in Motion is a Pennsylvania based, nonprofit
organization dedicated tohelping individuals with
disabilities live their lives ontheir own terms.
Abilities in Motion strives toeliminate psychological
stereotypes, physical barriersand outdated attitudes that
prevent social and civicinclusion as well as promote the
independent living movement toempower, educate, and advocate
(12:45):
for individuals withdisabilities.
For more information aboutprograms and services, Abilities
in Motion provides call 610-376- 0010 or visit our website
at www.abilitiesinmotion.org.
Shelly (13:02):
Welcome back listeners.
We are here with Natalie fromScewo, the high tech, stylish
chair that gets you everywhereand anywhere you want to go.
So in talking aboutindependence, we are a center
for independent living here inthe United States, and that is
our mission and our goal.
What kind of feedback have someof your wheelchair users given
(13:22):
you as far as what independenceit, the Scewo gives them.?
Natalie (13:27):
Actually, we have gotten a lot of feedback about
independence or especiallyflexibility to that.
They got back cause with thedifferent modes of our
wheelchair, with the, with thewheels, with the tracks and
everything, they don't have tocheck every step on their way
(13:48):
because with Bro, there isalways a possibility to get to
the destination.
Cause I mean, if there are, aresome steps, just put on stair
climbing mode, if the street istoo steep, you can go up there
with the track.
If there is a forest path youcan drive through with the, with
the wheels, there's always apossibility to get there.
(14:12):
And actually they are travelingaround everywhere in the world.
And one of our customers wasrecently in Italy and there was
that catacombs that it wasreally old and historic and
yeah, of course it wasn't, uh,able, yeah.
Other wheelchairs weren't ableto go down the stairs and it was
(14:34):
like, yeah, that's not aproblem.
I can just drive down.
And he was probably the firstwheelchair user that was ever
down in that catacombs and yeah,that feedback is just amazing
and it encourages us every dayin our work.
And what we do.
Shelly (14:50):
Have you tried it out, have you tried the Bro and
ridden it round for the day?
Natalie (14:52):
Yeah, of course.
Yeah, of course we, we all useBro like weekly or daily even
so, and we always do that kindof, uh, um, short, um, um, how
to say, um, no, a winter drive.
So we test all the functions inyeah, the test.
(15:13):
Yeah.
Uh, we try out all the functionsand also how it works in
situations that we have in oureveryday lives.
So we go to restaurants or wedrive with, uh, public transport
and stuff like that.
So we know exactly how it worksin these situations.
Shelly (15:33):
How often, or how long does it take a, a new user to
get used to all the functionsand feel secure going up, you
know, a flight of steps,especially like in a sub, a
subway or a tube situation thatcould be a little scary to go
down backwards?
Um, how long does it take themto adapt to this?
Natalie (15:54):
That always depends on the user.
Also, if somebody has, um, a lotof experience with, with power
chair, power wheelchairs, thehandling is already known and is
therefore easier.
And in, in order to make every,every one of our road drivers
feel safe and comfortable, wealways train them on our
(16:17):
wheelchairs.
So that training consists, um,an online theory test and also a
practical part where we show andexplain all the functions with
the user and drive around withthem and go up and downstairs
with them and stuff like that.
So they have experienced everyfunction before they're on their
(16:41):
selves.
And we also, we have some explanexplanatory videos on our
YouTube channels, so they can gothere and have a backup every
time they, they about function.
Or they're not sure how to usethat.
Um, and yeah, they, they canalways contact us and we do a
lot of video calls to show themhow, how everything works and
(17:05):
where they have to push andstuff like that
Shelly (17:07):
And walk'em through it.
So is what kind of people areusing, is it just younger
generations or is it a of people?
Natalie (17:17):
Um, all kind of people.
We have some Bro drivers thatare just 15 years old, but we
also have some that are over 60years old and yeah, our
wheelchair is something foreveryone that is physically and
cognitively able to drive apower wheelchair share with a
hand twist.
And our customers are peoplethat want to be flexible and
(17:40):
live a self-determined life withthe possibility to go almost
anywhere and do almosteverything they want to
independently.
So it's kind, yeah.
Kind of something for everybody.
Shelly (17:55):
What's your favorite feature on the Bro?
Natalie (17:57):
My favorite feature is actually the, the height
adjustment.
I think it's amazing when you goto, to like an opera and you can
talk to others at eye level andthey don't always talk down on
you because I think that issomething that is missing if
you're in some kind of otherwheelchair because you, yeah.
(18:18):
You always been talked down to,and I think that gives you a lot
of confidence if you're an eyelevel and yeah.
I can have a drink at the bar,stuff like that.
I think it's the small things.
Yeah.
It is
Shelly (18:33):
It's a mazing.
I t hink i t, i t directlycognitively impacts their
self-esteem.
Exactly.
Natalie (18:42):
Yeah.
I think so.
Shelly (18:43):
You've tried that feature.
Yeah,
Natalie (18:45):
Of course.
Of course
Shelly (18:46):
A nd, a nd yeah.
And you notice it makes a big,how tall can the chair go?
How high up?
Natalie (18:52):
Um, so the, the seat is at, um, 81 centimeters, then
there is a, yeah.
There is like your, your bodyheight as well.
And yeah, I don't, I don't know.
So your, your eyes are at aboutone meter and, and 80 maybe
seventies.
So yeah, you're just like, uh, ataller person sometimes when
(19:15):
you're really tall, you canactually talk down on other
people that are not in thewheelchair.
So that's amazing.
Shelly (19:23):
(laughter) Y eah.
That's g ot boost your ego f ors ure.
Natalie (19:30):
Exactly.
That's that's just the point ofit.
Shelly (19:34):
So besides your, uh, YouTube channel, where else can
our listeners worldwide find outmore about this technology and
where to find you guys?
Natalie (19:45):
They can find us, uh, well, on our website, they're
all the informations and we areon Instagram, on Facebook and on
LinkedIn and yeah, they canalways contact us if they have
any questions.
We are always happy to help andexplain,
Shelly (20:02):
I believe there is a phone number on your website,
correct?
Natalie (20:06):
Exactly.
And also email on, you can alsocontact us on, on Facebook or
Instagram.
We will always get back to yousomehow.
Shelly (20:15):
Very good.
Well, Natalie, I think that isit for our show today.
Happy New Year.
And thank you for being here.
Natalie (20:22):
Thank you very much for having me and Happy New Year to
you too.
All the Best.
Shelly (20:26):
Yes.
Thank you.
I hope to see Scewo Bro.
On our streets in the UnitedStates this year in 22,
Natalie (20:33):
We would love that
Shelly (20:37):
I know, right.
And to our listeners, don'tforget to hit that like and
subscribe button.
So you never miss an opportunityto listen to disability talks.
Outro (21:07):
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of disability
talks, wanna keep theconversation going?
Then visit ourwebsite@abilitiesinmotion.org or
connect with us on social media.
And remember don't dis myability.
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