As the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th Special Olympics Games unfold in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao from December 8 to 15, Guangdong Province is translating the athletic spirit of inclusion into tangible daily improvements for people with disabilities through cutting-edge technology.
A visit to the Guangdong Rehabilitation Base for Persons with Disabilities in the capital city, Guangzhou, on December 10, one of the official training and rehabilitation hubs for the ongoing Games, reveals how technological innovations are reshaping accessible living.
In the accessible home showroom, everything from the kitchen to the cabinets, toilet, and bathtub is smartly adjusted. The space features height-adjustable stoves and cabinets operated by infrared-free hand induction, and an overhead track system that can bear a load of around 100 to 150 kilograms to allow users with severe paralysis to be transferred smoothly.
Kitchen table's height can be easily adjusted with button.
There is also a waterproof side-opening bathtub that allows entry and exit in a sideways manner, along with a built-in washbasin designed for spacious maneuvering.
Additionally, there is an intelligent guide dog that, at one-tenth the cost of a traditional guide dog, excels in navigation by mapping out optimal routes, even faster than those chosen by sighted people. The all-terrain adjustable wheelchair can easily climb stairs, cross potholes, traverse bumps, and even move over gravel roads in both backward and forward-facing positions.
Intelligent guide dog
These products, displayed alongside other intelligent accessibility devices at the base, are part of Guangdong's broader effort to leverage its manufacturing and innovation strengths to cater to the diverse rehabilitation needs of people with mobility impairments, bridging the gap between assistive technology and real-life usability.
All-terrain adjustable wheelchair
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Pan Jiajun
Editor | Hu Nan, Ou Xiaoming, James Campion, Shen He
