When the Nintendo Labo was unveiled, Nintendo also showed off various kits and things that users could do with it, such as building their own robots and what not. However it appears that some have taken the Labo and made practical use of it, such as in the case of Kentaro Yoshifuji of Ory Laboratory who used the Labo to control an electric wheelchair.
Yoshifuji has apparently been interested in electric wheelchair technology ever since he was in high school, where he has been working on tech for the mobility device. His latest creation is for a 13-year old who requires a wheelchair to get around due to a heart condition. With the use of the Labo, he created a steering wheel of sorts that allowed the teen to steer himself around using the Switch.
世界初！ニンテンドーラボで操作する電動車椅子。移動するための乗り物車椅子だけど、@origamicat さんの手にかかると一瞬にして「オレのバイク」に！こうなってくると車椅子ユーザーで良かったとさえ思えてきます。やっぱヒーローやな！オリィさん！任天堂×オリィ研究所 pic.twitter.com/PAuvPt2FPk
— ✴︎TKタケヒロ/YUU(TKマガジン꧁꧂ (@Takeru_FTX) May 1, 2018
Granted electric wheelchairs already have built in controls and a steering system, but it is possible that a more conventional steering wheel design could make it more intuitive. It also highlights how the Labo, which might have been intended for gaming, has found more practical real world applications.
This is similar to Microsoft’s Kinect system which while designed for gaming, was later found to be useful in other industries, such as medical. The Labo also has the advantage of being affordable when it comes to replacing parts due to them being made out of cardboard, which means that experimenting with it and building devices will be more accessible to the masses.
Filed in . Read more about Nintendo, Nintendo Labo and Nintendo Switch.