Re: Fwd: Re: What is IT?

From: Michael S. Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Thu Jan 11 2001 - 09:03:26 MST


hal@finney.org wrote:
>
> I think the explanation of "IT" which Max forwarded is correct, given
> the links he provided (which I will repeat here as his message appeared
> in HTML format):
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:www.dekaresearch.com referring to
> the Independence Transporter
> http://boingboing.net/ginger.jpg which is part of the first drawing of
> the patent
>
> http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn=US05971091__ which is the patent.
>
> The patent is basically for the stair-climbing wheelchair, and shows
> dozens of variations on the theme, but at least one, figure 21 (seen in
> smaller form at the boing-boing link above), is intended for able-bodied
> persons:

Indeed, what the stair climbing capability does is eliminate the most
onerous requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, one more
example that the market can solve a problem more ingeniously than
government. The government says: stay with current technology and build
ramps everywhere. The market says: build a stair climbing wheel
chair.... which do you think will win in the end?



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