Mitsubishi Elevator Detects Wheelchair Users, Can Be Voice-Controlled

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

Great invention: Mitsubishi Electric has developed an elevator [JP] that can not only be fully voice-controlled but also automatically detects people sitting in wheelchairs. In other words, the new system, dubbed “Touchless Call”, allows users of wheelchairs or the visually impaired to use elevators without having to push buttons.

Mitsubishi says that after sensors detect a wheelchair users approaching the elevator, all that he or she needs to do is to wait for the elevator to arrive, enter it and speak out to which floor they want to go.

Mitsubishi plans to offer Touchless Call to hospitals and nursing homes within this year (upgrading existing elevators is possible, too).

Via Akihabara News