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Period: 520 to
Time Line for Disabilities and Medicine
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525
Wheelchair in a Chinese engraved image
This is the first proof of a wheelchair! This wheelchair was pulled not pushed. In China at the time it was used as a power symbol, instead of a tool for the disabled. Information found under Early History -
First Hearing Aid description
In "Natural Magik" Giovanni Battista Porta describes hearing aides at the time as wood devices that were shaped to the for the ears of animals with acute hearing. [Carbon Microphone Aids](<a href='http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/cochlear/cipop/popup9.html)' >Giovanni Battist Porta Description</a> -
King Philip II of Spain's wheelchair
A sketch was draw of King Philip II of Spain in a wheelchair. This wheelchair was created by Jehan Lhermite. This wheelchair had to be pushed, it was not self-propelled. This wheelchair was made of iron, leather and wood. Amoung it features is a head and foot rest. More information about Philip II can be found here. -
A watchmakers wheelchair invention
Stephen Fafler was a paraplegic watchmaker, he created the first wheelchair the the occupant could self-propell. He created a the wheeled wheelchair, and attached to the side of the sigle front wheel were handles that could be used to move the chair forward. More detail about this wheelchair can be found here. -
The Ear Trumpet!
Ear trumpets, and seashells, and bull's horns oh my! have been used by humans for thousands of years. Simple Ear Trumpet -
The Bath Chair
John Dawson created a wheelchair, the wheelchair had two long wheels and a small wheel at the front. This wheel chair also had a steering wheel at the front so the peron in the chair could drive the chair would go while the person behind the chair was pushing. John Dawson named this wheelchair after the town he lived in, Bath, England. This was a very successful design dominating wheelchair sales through the early 19th century.
<a href='http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/8411129' >Murder -
First Typewriter
The first type writer was created for Countess CArolina Fantoni da Fizzo. It was created by her friend Pellegrino Turri to help her write legibly because she was blind. It is said that the two were in love, and he wanted to be able to read her love letters to him. -
Charles Barbier and the 12 dot arrangments
Charles Barbier invented a way for soldiers to communicate without speaking, he used a 12-dot arrangements in a rectangle to represent sounds. This would inspire Louis Braille to invent... Braille. Charles Barbier -
Louis Braille creates the Braille communication system
Blinded at the age of three Lois Braille would go on to teach at the Royal Institute and spent his spare time improving Barbiers system. Whe he was 15 he completed the raised-dot system now called Braille. Louis Braille -
London dome
Often used at the opera the London or Opera dome was used in the 1850's. This dome was used made of thin metal and could be customized based on amount of hearing loss. London Dome -
Acoustic Table Urn
These table urns were designed with multiple openings so sound could be captured from any angle in the room. The noise is funnled directly into the users ear through a long tube. -
First Wheelchair Patent
The first wheelchair was patented, the wheelchair ahd larger wheels in the back and small casters in the front. -
Wheel rims added to wheels on the wheelchairs
To combat the mess of directly handling wheels directly rims were added to wheelchair wheels. This also made wheelchair more independtly mobile. -
Ear Tube
This device allowed the speaker to talk directly into a tube that was in over the listeners ear. Ear Tube -
First Motorized Wheelchair
In England the first motorized wheelchair was created, however manual wheelchairs were still the most commonly used. Manual wheelchair prices were decreasing at the time. -
E.C Wente and the condenser Microphone
E.C Wente created a condensing microphone, this allowed sound waves to be translated into electrical waves. This meant that a vacuun tube amplifier could transmit them. E.C. Wente -
Carbon Microphone Aids
Used in the 1930's and 1940's the Carbon Microphone Aids were a multi-part hearing aid. The microphone size could be customized based on hearing difficulty. The microphone would be worn are the neck, and was connected to the ear piece by wires. Carbon Microphone Aids -
First Look at the Modern Wheelchair
Henry Jennings created the first folding tubular steel wheelchair. He created this wheelchair for his friend Herbert Everest. The two men went into business together and were so successful that in 1976 the Justice Deparetment brought an anti-trust suit against them. Everest & Jenning Inc Deal Timeline -
Vacuum Tube Model
acuum tubes shrank the processing componentes of the hearing aid, however the batteries still remained large. Vaccum Tube ModelV -
Stokes Mandeville Games
The first Stokes Mandeville Games were a momentus movement in wheelchair sports. This first athletic competition was an archery competition where 16 Britishw ex-servicemen and women who were paralyzed engaged in an archery competition on the fields of Stoke. The Stokes Mandeville Games changed their name to World Wheelchair and Amputee Games, it is a yearly occurance. -
Useable Electric Wheelchair
Engineering a Better Quality of Life</a>George Klein led a team at the National Research Council t create a usable electric wheelchair. This need was created when veterans of World War 2 returned home. <a href='http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/education/innovations/discoveries/wheelchair.html' > -
Canada creates the first power chair.
This is actually a very debated, it seems that the there were other versions created earlier in the 20th century, and the Candian version was just an improvement. -
Augmentative and alternative communication AAC
The modern ideas of augmentive strategies were beinging to be created. The use of this was mostly for those people who lost the use of their voice due to surgery. -
Oticon Pocket Model
This hearing aid was significantly smaller thant previous hearing aids. The user could be in a crowd without it being easily noticed. the battery was small enough to fit into a pocket. -
"Slimmette" created
As time went on transistors were designed smaller and smaller, therefore hearing aids became smaller. Beltone's "Slimmette" was concealed in flaps that hang over the ear from sunglasses! Beltone's "Slimmette" -
Wheelchair Customization Late 20th Century
Wheelchairs became more customized for individual needs of the occupants. Wheelchairs also became customised for activity and use. Modern wheelchair design was used. Joystick and sterring mechanisns were now avalible. -
Over-the-Ear Hearing Aids
The Over-the-Ear had a microphone, battery, and transistor in one unit. These models were modeled to fit the wearers ear, with custom ear tubes. Over-the-Ear -
Wheelchairs made out of aircraft quality aluminum
Wheelchair frames went from bulky and heavy to ultralight, when wheelchairs started being made out of aircraft quality aluminum. -
In-the-Canal... Hearing Aids
In the 1970's the batteries became small small enough for the hearing aid to fit in the ear canal without anything needing to be worn on the outside of the ear. In-the-Canal -
Large Expansion of AAC
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Patent for a releasable add-on drive
Sam Duke recieved the patent, the unit was actually not as releaseable as it was made out to sound it was permanently fitted to the chair with bolts. -
In-the-Ear-Canal Hearing Aids
In the canal hearing aidsLithium batteries were now used, this made the hearing aid small enough to fit in the ear canal. It could be totally concealed completely from view. -
Digital Processing Hearing Aids
Digital Processing Hearing AidsA bit larger than the analog models this hearing aid allows for greater clarity. The user can program their hearing aids to be able to hear the most useful range of tones. -
Assistive Technology Act
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Wheelchair Skateboarding History
Aaron Fotheringham at 14 years old completed the FIRST EVER wheelchair backflip. He calls what he does "Hard Core Sitting", he performs skateboarding tricks on in his wheelchair! Aaron Fotheringham Interview
