Tag: WHILL

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The Haneda International Airport will use the WHILL Autonomous Drive System to help prevent spread of COVID-19, the company says. Use of the self-driving system helps to reduce the risk of spreading infection through contact between wheelchair service staff and passengers at close range. “In the Corona era, we believe services that support mobility, while maintaining social distancing, will accelerate to replace human labor with robots and autonomous driving technologies,”...

WASHINGTON - Managed care plans, CRT reimbursement and coverage for breast prosthesis topped the list of concerns HME providers shared at an Aug. 19 Small Business Administration Regulatory Fairness Hearing.Provider Georgie Blackburn said she's seen a significant impact on small businesses under Pennsylvania's managed care model for Medicaid, according to a bulletin from VGM.“We have witnessed significant barriers to access for recipients in need for durable medical equipment,” said Blackburn....

SAN FRANCISCO - WHILL, the makers of the Model Ci and Model A personal electric vehicles, and Scootaround, a provider of rental mobility solutions, have merged.The new mobility-as-a-service model that will by implemented by WHILL and Scootaround will combine WHILL's personal EVs with Scootaround's worldwide rental, repair and mobility management services.“Our partnership with Scootaround is a huge step toward evolving the worldwide mobility transportation industry,” said Satoshi Sugie,...

SAN CAROLS, Calif. - WHILL, a manufacturer of personal electric vehicles (PEVs), will introduce and demonstrate the WHILL Autonomous Drive at the Consumer Electronics Show, Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas. “The WHILL Autonomous Drive PEV will be common in future public settings,” said Satoshi Sugie, co-founder and CEO of WHILL. “In the not-so-distant future, a user who has difficulty walking will merely 'summon' the vehicle. The technology will allow even first-time operators to experience...

WATERLOO, Iowa - The VGM Group has pulled together suggested talking points for providers who plan to comment on CMS's proposal to include vents in its next round of competitive bidding.“There are major concerns with life-sustaining equipment such as ventilators being restricted to contracted suppliers given the instability that the program has caused within the DMEPOS industry,” VGM stated in a bulletin. CMS has proposed adding the following codes to the program: E0465 (invasive),...

SAN FRANCISCO - TIME Magazine has named WHILL's Model Ci personal electric vehicle one of the “50 Best Inventions of 2018.” The wheelchair was selected out of hundreds of editor and expert submissions from around the world. TIME evaluated each contender on key factors, including originality, creativity, influence, ambition and effectiveness. Of the Ci, TIME wrote, “Thanks to its specially engineered front 'omni-wheels,' it can ride up to 10 miles indoors or outdoors, climb obstacles...

SAN CARLOS, Calif. - WHILL, which launched the Model Ci in the U.S. in January, has secured $45 million in funding led by investors SBI Investment Co., Daiwa PI Partners Co. and Daiwa Corporate Investment Co., and WHIZ Partners, as well as Endeavor Catalyst and others. This funding brings WHILL's total funding to about $80 million. WHILL, expanded sales into the U.K. and Italy in July, following its expansion into Canada earlier this year, will use the funding to further broaden its geographic footprint...

SAN CARLOS, Calif. - WHILL was included in Fast Company's annual ranking of the world's Most Innovative Companies for 2018. The listing honors leading enterprises and rising newcomers that exemplify the best in business and innovation, according to a press release. WHILL earned a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Robotics. The company's Model Ci personal electric vehicle features embedded Bluetooth for remote driving with an iPhone app, a mobile data network connection, and GPS,...

WASHINGTON - A bill that reforms several Medicare benefits, including home infusion and O&P, sailed through the House of Representatives last week.H.R. 3178, the “Medicare Part B Improvement Act of 2017,” includes a provision that would create a temporary payment for home infusion therapy to close a gap created by another bill, the 21st Century Cures Act. The Cures Act requires Medicare to pay for services associated with providing Part B drugs, but not until 2021. Meanwhile, a second...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - National Seating & Mobility will be the exclusive national distributor for WHILL's Model M power wheelchair, the companies announced July 24. NSM's national distribution channel and expert clinical field team “vastly increase” the Model M's service area in the complex rehab and access industries, according to a press release. “We're excited to have NSM's clinical experts providing product evaluations on the Model M, ensuring the chair fits and meets the versatile...