More than 60 million Americans live with a disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).^[1] Of those, 13.7 percent have significant mobility issues that require wheelchairs.

Adaptive vehicle solutions such as wheelchair lifts, cranes, transfer seats, and toppers are designed to help those with limited mobility experience freedom through transportation, but aging technologies can make the process of entering and exiting a truck or van complex and time-consuming.

When you think of Adapy, think home automation but for the vehicle.

Aaron is the co-founder and CEO of Adapy (pronounced ‘a-dappy’), which offers a vehicle smart hub that controls the majority of adaptive equipment that a person in a wheelchair uses to get in and out of their vehicle. “The idea and the vision is to assist those that have mobility issues when entering or exiting the vehicle,” says Aaron. “This includes control for their lifts, cranes, and toppers along with automating the process of controlling their garage doors, lights, etc., to streamline the entire process.”

Adapy’s mission is to bring more freedom and independence to wheelchair users through innovation and technology. While current adaptive technologies make it possible for users to enter their vehicles independently, the process can take anywhere from five to fifteen minutes as they use multiple wired controllers to align and engage differing devices. The substantive amount of time and effort involved can put users’ health at risk — as noted by  Aaron, ” Neurological injury to any portion of the CNS that regulates Tcore, such as SCI, stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc. frequently results in thermoregulatory dysfunction and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from exposure to extreme ambient temperatures.” ^[2,3]

The value proposition of the Adapy solution is that it can help mitigate these risks by reducing the exposure and time it takes for the wheelchair user to ready their vehicle’s adaptive devices in preparation for entering and exiting a vehicle in harsh weather conditions.  A vehicle can be prepared for entry from a safe climate-controlled location such as a garage, residence, or building using only their smartphone.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Adaptive Device Technology

Most adaptive technologies are built on legacy frameworks that haven’t changed in decades. It makes sense: The basic functions of a crane or lift are largely static, meaning upgrades in function are few and far between. And as Aaron points out, these systems are expensive, with each costing tens of thousands of dollars. As a result, there’s little impetus for users to upgrade their equipment — significant costs coupled with similar functionality limit the value of repeat purchases.

The challenge? “Many of the controls for these solutions aren’t easy to use,” says Aaron. “Remote controls may have hard-to-push buttons that require the user to hold the remote firmly when pressing the buttons. If users have severe spinal injuries that leave them with limited control via a thumb, knuckle, or a straw, these solutions simply aren’t functional.”

Managing multiple remotes create an issue. Users need all devices on-hand to successfully enter or exit their vehicle. If a remote is damaged, drivers could be stuck in their homes or stranded at their destination until help arrives.

Adapt to Excel with Smartphone-Enabled Control

According to Aaron, with only a few manufacturers responsible for creating approved adaptable technologies, there’s no drive for standardization and interoperability. While cranes, transfer seats, toppers, and lift controls all perform similar functions regardless of manufacturers, they often use disparate and non-compatible connections. Some may rely purely on physical remote controls, while others may offer a blend of mobile and physical access. The result, however, is the same: Increased time and effort for users as they look to navigate complex, multi-step processes.

Adapy brings everything together. Using a combination of physical adapter and connected mobile app, the solution “replicates an analog or digital signal that devices require to operate,” says Aaron. “Through a custom-built harness connection, the proper communication is sent to activate the equipment. The adapter is a physical piece of equipment that’s easy to install — necessary 12-volt power is piggybacked off the power that goes to the device.”

This plug-and-play approach means users can easily complete device setup and app connection without asking for help. The hub acts as a translator for differing signal types across different devices and then connects to Adapy’s mobile app to provide complete control over all connected devices. Users can assign specific actions to each device to streamline the process of entry and exit — and with a simple touch on their smartphone, they can activate the entire adaptive system. In practice, the app and hub work together to create a virtual remote control; a signal from the app tells the adapter to produce the analog or digital signal the devices need to operate. Existing physical remotes also remain in operation — while Adapy offers speed, it also provides redundancy in case these remotes are lost or become non-functional.

Solving for the Status Quo

According to Aaron, adaptive vehicle technologies are made “by just a handful of companies that are highly regulated. As a result, this industry has largely missed the technology wave — people buy lifts, cranes, and transfer seats because they have no choice.” This creates a stagnant market where repetitive tasks that should be simple are needlessly complicated by a lack of interoperability and reliance on decades-old physical technologies. For Aaron, this is a problem. “Any repetitive task should be automated,” he says. “There’s no reason we shouldn’t do it.” Adapy lets users combine legacy systems with cutting-edge technology to drive increased independence.

Aaron puts it simply: “This market is ready for technology. It needs an injection of innovation. Our goal is to reduce user dependency and put independence back in their hands, where it belongs.”

Adapy is leading the way.

The Atwood Innovation Plaza, located at Dixie State University in Southern Utah, exists to support entrepreneurs. The Atwood Innovation Plaza offers numerous resources and personnel that students or community members may need to either launch or grow their business. To learn more, please visit innovation.dixie.edu.

Resources

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Disability Impacts All of Us,” September 16, 2020.

² Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, “Spinal Cord Injury Complications: Temperature Regulation,” June 2, 2020.

³ Queensland Spinal Cord Injuries Service, “Information for General Practitioners: Temperature regulation after spinal cord injury (SCI),” July 2017.