Electronic aids

Aside from the obvious electrical and powered aids like mobility scooters and power wheelchairs, there are a number of other electronic aids that range from digital thermometers and blood pressure monitors to bath lifts and massagers.

The sectional index to the left and below provides details of these devices.

What is an electronic aid?

An electronic aid is simply an aid or a useful device that uses some form of power to achieve a task that would otherwise require a physical effort or be achieved in a different or less accurate (e.g. analogue) way. This power could come from a mini tablet battery or a mains electricity supply and it could power a motor or a small circuit board.

In each case the advantage is ease of use combined with greater control or accuracy. This technology does not necessarily attract a higher price because the components used are often manufactured in large quantities for numerous product types and they may be cheap to make. A electronic aid can also be lighter than an equivalent manual aid.

One example of this could be a digital infrared thermometer that uses the latest electronic technology to gain a very accurate body temperature reading that is displayed on a readout screen. This type of thermometer is easier to use and read than a conventional one.

Another example could be an electric bath lift that uses power to lift and lower the bather in and out of the bath. The advantages to this kind of aid are obvious in that they allow greater independence and dignity by removing the need for carers.

What is available?

The number of available electronic aids is constantly increasing as different devices benefit from being powered or from having their mechanical components replaced by more accurate digital alternatives. In some cases this assists in obtaining some kind of reading by providing a proper display screen and in others it simply makes the measurement more precise.

The other advantage that many electronic mobility aids have is a lower price. The cost of circuit boards and even small motors and hydraulic systems continues to reduce and this can actually mean that some motorised aids are cheaper than the manually powered ones. In the case of the more popular digital aids there is nearly always a cost saving in choosing digital over analogue.

For information concerning powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters please use this Mobility scooter intro page link.

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