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Smart Wheelchair Market Overview
The Smart Wheelchair Market
size is estimated to reach $255 Million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.3%
during the forecast period 2022-2027, attributed to the increasing cases of
permanent & temporary mobility disability, growing geriatric population, rising incidences of knee
injuries, strokes, paralysis & obesity and so on. The adoption of mobility
assistive devices is increasing as a result of technological advancements
in their development and integration with IoT (internet of things)
and AI technologies. Significant
emphasis on R&D activities in the development of mobility scooters
with embedded control systems is also driving its market growth. This is due to providing
advanced features such as image processing, automated or smart controlled medical systems and GPS
navigation, capable of allowing users steer wheelchair to a specific location
using a joystick, accelerometer or voice command. Additionally, growing popularity towards
ultra-lightweight smart wheelchairs, lack of trained employees to aid
wheelchair users at airports, bus stations and rising prevalence of
spinal cord injuries are some of the major factors set to transform the Smart
Wheelchair industry outlook in the coming time.
Smart Wheelchair Market Report Coverage
The
“Smart Wheelchair Market Report –
Forecast (2022-2027)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the
following segments in the Smart
Wheelchair Market.
Key Takeaways
- Joystick controlled wheelchair held the largest market share in 2021, owing to increasing demand for smart mobility solutions for patients, rising adoption of navigation assistance features and so on.
- Smart Wheelchairs in Hospitals are analyzed to grow at the fastest rate during 2022-2027. This market growth can be attributed to varied factors like rising adoption of wheelchairs during medical emergencies, increased demand in post-surgical treatments, and so on.
- North America region dominated the Smart Wheelchair market in 2021, owing to increasing adoption towards technologically advanced healthcare devices, rapid rise of elderly population groups, and so on.
- Rapid rise in geriatric population coupled with prevalence of spinal cord injuries and technological advancements towards integration of artificial intelligence, internet of things & others for improving mobility impairment patient care are analyzed to significantly drive the market growth of Smart Wheelchair during the forecast period 2022-2027.
Smart Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis- By Technology
Joystick-controlled wheelchair market held the largest share of 55% in 2021, owing to
increasing demand for smart mobility solutions for patients, rising adoption
of navigation assistance features, rise in road and traffic accidents and
so on. Joystick
controlled wheelchairs help in increasing safety of the physically disabled
people as it tracks the obstacles in the path using ultrasonic sensors. Additionally, with the use of joystick,
wheelchairs can travel in any directions through speed adjustments using
joystick controller. Moreover, advancements such as introduction of touchscreen
joystick ensures increased speed and stability of movement, in comparison to
mechanical joysticks. The tablet maintains constant speed for a longer
period of time than the standard mechanical joystick. Integration of joystick with electronic
systems can be used to control computers & portable devices, alongside
enabling user to remotely control household devices such as TVs, DVD players,
multi-media systems and many other home-automation equipment. This in turn, is
significantly driving the demand for smart
wheelchairs operating with joystick control mechanism. In October 2021,
LITH-TECH
launched three folding wheelchairs which were suitable for both indoor and
outdoor use. With an external wireless controller that can be linked to the
joystick , these wheelchairs allow a person to control the chair from a
distance of 10 meters. The wheelchair has a joystick that can be adjusted for
maximum navigability, five different speed settings, battery life indicator and
a horn. These factors have been significantly impacting the
growth of Joystick controlled Smart Wheelchair industry overtime.
Smart Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis- By End User
Smart Wheelchairs
in Hospitals are analyzed to grow with the highest CAGR of 7.5% during
2022-2027. This market growth can be attributed to varied factors like rising
adoption of wheelchairs during medical emergencies, increased demands in
post-surgical treatments, and so on.
Smart wheelchairs can help patients move around a hospital or healthcare
facility by themselves, thus eliminating the requirement of patient
transporters. Since hospital services
like tests, analysis, medical procedures, external consultations and so on,
require patient displacement, which is raising its market demands. Adoption of smart wheelchairs can be
beneficial for patients having mobility impairment or abnormalities and also
during limited staff availability in the hospitals. The feedback provide by
smart wheelchair gives valuable insights about the behavior of patients,
essential in developing objective measures of performance and closely monitoring
of patients. In
April 2021, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital launched a pilot programme to equip 150
wheelchairs with long-range radio frequency transmitters, enabling staff
to locate as well as retrieve the wheelchairs easily. The hospital used a
network of routers positioned at different locations to report presence of
the number of wheelchairs in various areas, within rooms or floors within
the medical facility. Utilizing a smartphone application, the staff gets
notified or gain information about the vacant wheelchairs. Therefore, advancements
in medical devices for increasing operational efficiency and results of
healthcare organizations, is analyzed to impact the smart
wheelchair market size for hospital settings in the coming time.
Smart Wheelchair Market Segment Analysis- By
Geography
North America region dominated the Smart Wheelchair market with a share of around 37% in 2021, owing to the increasing adoption towards technologically advanced healthcare devices, rapid rise of elderly population groups, and so on. High investments on R&D activities, and rising prevalence of patients with long-term medical disorders, physical disabilities, spinal cord injuries and so on drives the market forward. Moreover, surge in patients suffering from mobility impairment, increased hip or knee replacement surgeries and high consumer spending on healthcare products have been also aiding its market demands. According to a report published by the U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention in September 2020, about 26% of adults in the US are disabled, out of which more than 13.7% have mobility impairment issues. Since the impaired population faces difficulty in walking and climbing, this in turn assists the demand for mobility assistive devices within the region. These factors are set to transform Smart Wheelchair industry outlook within North American markets.
Smart Wheelchair Market Drivers
Rapid Rise in Geriatric Population coupled with Prevalence of Spinal Cord Injuries is Positively Impacting the Smart Wheelchair Market Growth:
Rapid
rise in geriatric population merged with prevalence of spinal cord injuries act as a major factor driving the market
demand for smart wheelchairs. Geriatric population are
more vulnerable to the range of severe diseases such as paralysis attacks,
strokes, knee injuries, neurological disorders and so on, which in turn raises
movement disabilities. Additionally, prevalence of physical impairments, rising
preferences for home care, increasing frequency of accidents and spinal cord injuries
are some vital factors driving the demand for mobility assistive devices.
According to the Aging and Healthcare Report from World Health Organization
(WHO), number of people aged 80 and above is expected to triple between 2020
and 2050, reaching 426 million. These findings highlight the importance of
healthcare modernization and the use of sophisticated devices like smart
wheelchairs for geriatric care. In July 2020, Scewo introduced a smart
wheelchair, Scewo Bro, which can be controlled by smartphone or integrated
touch interface. Equipped with sensors and navigation systems, these wheelchairs
can constantly monitor environment, allowing users to climb and walk on two
wheels safely. Moreover, seat of the wheelchair can be
adjusted according to user convenience with back & foot support being electronically
adjustable, thus increasing comfort. Such factors will help in propelling the growth
of Smart Wheelchair industry in the long run.
Technological Advancements towards Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Others for Improving Mobility Impairment Patient Care Drives the Market Forward:
Advancements
in artificial intelligence, internet of things and other technologies
to improve medical care of mobility impaired patients can be considered as
a potential driver boosting the growth of the smart wheelchair market. Integration
of smart wheelchairs with internet of things (IoT), artificial
intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) technologies assist in
monitoring health conditions and movement of the patient. Mobility
assistive devices with embedded control systems enable physically disabled people
to operate wheelchairs automatically, eliminating the manual work. Features
such as voice command, joystick control and ultrasonic sensors within such
advanced wheelchairs help in improving patient convenience. Additionally, the mind
control systems in mobility scooters assist the patient in controlling their
wheelchairs by interpreting electric signals from their brain. According to
Onometra’s report published in 2021, about 48% of the medical devices in India
are currently connected to IoT, and is expected to reach upto 68% by the end of
2022. This can be due to gradual shift of healthcare industry towards adoption
of IoT for healthcare assistance in health research, drug development and
advanced medical gadgets. In September 2021, CoMoveIT launched a smart
wheelchair equipped with sensors & artificial intelligence technologies,
which can be used by people with severe mobility impairments. These wheelchair showed
capabilities of head or feet control, integrated with an AI-powered software for
recognition and correcting involuntary movements of the patients. These factors
are set to expand the smart wheelchair market size in the coming time.
Smart Wheelchair Market Challenges
High Costs associated with Manufacturing, Maintenance & Repair of Smart Wheelchairs is Hampering its Market Growth:
The high cost of smart wheelchairs along with their
maintenance and repair costs act as one of the
major constraints impeding its market growth. Since there is requirement of tremendous amount of
technology & research to manufacture, produce, and design and smart
wheelchairs for automated operations, this in turn drives the incorporation of
varied advanced expensive components. Companies manufacturing smart wheelchairs need to
spend millions of dollars and hours of research during the development
stage. Additionally, before releasing smart wheelchairs to the market,
extensive testing is performed to ensure quality, durability, and product life.
Incorporation of advanced
technologies and sensors adds to the cost of smart wheelchairs. These high
expenses of smart wheelchair slow down its adoptability compared to
traditional or manually operated wheelchairs. According to a Mobilitydeck report published in 2020, a smart
wheelchair cost between $1,000 and $15,000 , while cost of regular use wheelchairs are
around $2000 and $3000. Wheelchairs with such high prices are difficult to repair and
maintain since they are equipped with complex technologies.
These factors are limiting demand
for smart wheelchairs and restricting the growth of the Smart Wheelchair
industry.
Smart Wheelchair Industry Outlook
Product launches,
acquisitions and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in
the Smart Wheelchair Market. The top 10
companies in the Smart Wheelchair market are:
- Medical Depot, Inc.
- Permobil AB
- Pride Mobility Products Ltd.
- MEYRA GmbH
- DEKA Research & Development Corp.
- tmsuk company limited
- Ottobock
- Quantum Rehab Inc.
- Invacare Corporation
- Karman Healthcare, Inc.
Recent Developments
- In August 2021, Invacare Corporation launched a new mobility product AVIVA STORM RX unique power wheelchair with rear-wheel-drive power mobility. The design also enables AVIVA Storm RX users can move closer to nearby objects and makes movement easier.
- In June 2021, Permobil launched a wheelchair mobile app MyPermobil incorporated with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. It will enable the users to give voice commands. Additionally, it released a white paper highlighting the benefits of standing power wheelchairs.
- In June 2021, Quantum Rehab launched 4Front 2 power wheelchair with embedded control system, smart traction control system and four pole motors. It offers unparalleled driving & riding experience to the users and advanced stability for seamless obstacle transitions and LED front & rear fender lights.
Relevant Report Titles:
Manual Wheelchair Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)
Report Code: CPR
31093
Active Wheelchair Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)
Report Code: HCR
1378
Voicebots Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)
Report Code: ITR
0195
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