Tag: WHILL
WHILL honored for accessibility at CES
January 4, 2023HME News Staff
SAN FRANCISCO – WHILL, Inc., a developer and service provider of electric mobility chairs, announced today that its WHILL Autonomous Model A power chair has been honored with a CES Innovation Award in the accessibility category at the Consumer Electronics Show. The CES Innovation Awards are an annual competition honoring outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products. "WHILL products and services are uniquely designed to reduce barriers and improve the quality of life for...
In brief: 2022 HME WOY, new ICD-10 codes, orthotics fraud
December 16, 2022HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa – Sherry Krug, vice president of business development at Binson's Medical Equipment & Supplies, has been named the 2022 HME Woman of the Year.
Krug, who joined Binson’s in 2020, oversees operational functions for all of the company’s locations
“Thank you,” she said during an online event on Dec. 15 hosted by the VGM Group to celebrate the finalists and name the winner. “This is such an honor and beyond any expectation that I...
WHILL launches mobility service at Winnipeg airport
December 14, 2022HME News Staff
SAN FRANCISCO – WHILL, a developer and service provider of power mobility chairs, has announced the first permanent installation in North America of its autonomous mobility service at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. The WHILL autonomous mobility service relieves airlines of fulfilling wheelchair push demands and allows airline passengers to travel more freely by autonomously transporting them to their gates. “Accessibility is a global issue," said Kerry Renaud, CEO of WHILL...
Scootaround marks National Mobility Awareness Month
May 9, 2022HME News Staff
WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Scootaround will donate 5% of every device sold on its website to the Disabled But Not Really Foundation as part of National Mobility Awareness Month in May. The foundation promotes inclusive training and adaptive athletes, and works to improve the lives of people living with disabilities. Scootaround also recently partnered with PURE to introduce PURE sanitization vehicles to disinfect mobility rentals with enhanced hygiene procedures, eliminating passenger worry about...
Airport uses WHILL to reduce contact
June 10, 2020HME News Staff
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,”...
WHILL, Scootaround merge
August 23, 2019HME News Staff
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...
In brief: Providers make their case, WHILL merges with Scootaround
August 23, 2019HME News Staff
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,”...
WHILL debuts autonomous technology
December 26, 2018HME News Staff
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...
In brief: VGM provides talking points, Viemed shares take hit
November 20, 2018HME News Staff
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...
WHILL named one of TIME's 50 best
November 20, 2018HME News Staff
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...