Faaiz Arbab, a student of MS electrical Engineering, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering at LUMS, has successfully created Pakistan’s first smartphone and voice-controlled wheelchair.
The wheelchair effectively titled ‘GOBEE’ is one of a kind wheelchair with an aim to assist people with disabilities through the use of smart technologies integrated into the wheelchair.
GOBEE can connect to any smartphone via Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi allowing its user to control it even if they are 100 feet away from the wheelchair.
Additional features of the wheelchair include an anti-rusting and water repellent body with alloy rim wheels combined with a sofa seat that has an anti-sweat technology.
GOBEE wheelchair has been awarded best Consumer Product Design Award (2018) by the National Design Awards (NDA).
Price and availability of GOBEE
GOBEE smart wheelchair is currently being produced by Ayub Yaqoob Engineering Company (AYECo) which is headed by Faaiz Arbab.
Arbab has already started distributing the wheelchair in the Pakistani market and hopes to export it after it meets the compliance with International Health Regulations of World Health Organization (WHO).
As far as the price is concerned, Arbab is selling his smart wheelchair for PKR 100,000. Other smart wheelchairs available in Pakistan through China cost anywhere from PKR 145,000 to PKR 250,000.
GOBEE is not only cheaper than its Chinese counterparts, but it also offers extra features such as a long-lasting battery, onboard mobile charger and voice control.
According to Arbab, the wheelchair can be fully charged in about 150 minutes providing a charge capacity of 25kms per charge.
Where to buy GOBEE
GOBEE will be officially available starting June 7 from select few vendors.
But you can also order the wheelchair by simply contacting AYECo on their official Facebook Page.