@ai6yr

As someone whom had to support and push their own wheelchair bound mom around (my early/pre-puberty, so pre 2000) I think I am somewhat familiar with how things work and don't.

This? This is shit. What is needed is accessibility applied to places so fancy, expensive, and often fragile, proprietary tech isn't needed.

It is creating yet another dependence on external factors.

@ai6yr

Are there cases where this tech might help? Maybe. But let us focus on making places accessible firstly.

Ask the community what they want and need rather then what some souped up washed out coked up techbro has sharted out.

Money and attention that could really help people is now being funneled into some hustle project that will benefit few to none other then th

@ai6yr

But nooooo let's not attempt to fix society in a meaningful way when we can extract more money and inflict indignity upon others.

... Yes, this pissed me off.

I have had to help my mom in situations that were beyond appalling. Having to run inside to the front desk to get the keys for the wheelchair elevator while she had to wait in the soaking rain. Doors that can't be operated from a wheelchair, curbs, thresholds, single accessibility toilet at the other end of the building...

@ai6yr

But yes, let's create a fancy new gizmo that drives on it's own and creates a dependence on the manufacturer and whether or not they support it in the future. Because if it breaks, what then?

If they want to do something; make electric wheel chairs affordable, safer, repairable, and maintainable. But there is not enough money to be made there, so... Guess which option they'll pick.

OK, I will stop but ooh I am seething right now.

@ai6yr

I hope so as well. It has been many years since, things have improved in general in terms of accessibility. And yet, so so much still needs to be done.

Apologies for the rant. It is something I genuinely feel very deeply on a personal level (as you can tell) Thanks for hearing me out 🩵

@Aprazeth @ai6yr
No apologies needed, Aprazeth! Rather, I thank you 💙 for it. Amen!

I would add in solidarity, not in criticism, that there are multiple disabilities and accessibility needs. I too am tired of some tech bro thinking if some magic AI driven wheelchair exists or some flying drone, then accessibility is solved. Besides the mobility issues you cited, others exist. I'm visually impaired. Those drones & AI will ensure I trip, fall down a step/ uneven floor and get a concussion.