If there is one particular gadget area (if I can refer to it as such) that I am particularly glad to write about, then that area is definitely the humanitarian one. You know, those gadgets that are meant to help persons with disabilities! Such as Panasonic's latest bed-shaped robot that transforms into a wheelchair in order for the person to go about his or her daily routine. And they will also look cool while doing it. I mean who else can brag about sleeping with a Transformer right?

Disabled people will no longer need to be assisted by loved ones to get from their bed to the dining room; all they have to do is transform their bed and “onwards to glory”! The risk of injuries drops considerably as well! While in wheelchair mode, the chair can even detect different obstacles and people that it meets along its path and manages to safely guide the user to the desired point without the risk of collisions.

Curious how the user can do that? Well, the device features an interactive interface that is as easy as it can be so the user doesn't meet with any problems when giving it the “transform” command. Of course the wheelchair can be ordered to return and turn back into a bed. But these aren't the only things that the Transformer robot bed does. It also has included a posture support technology that helps the user turn and adjusts and optimizes the mattress.

And because as a person who is disabled you do not have the luxury of walking around every day, there's also a feature called the Robotic Canopy, an interface that allows you to view television, operate home appliances or check your security camera. All you need is a network connection. And the best thing is yet to come! The Canopy's display moves and lifts itself according to the user's position!

The Robotic bed will be on display at the 36th International Home Care & Rehabilitation Exhibition that will be held at Tokyo Big Sight from September 29 to October 1, 2009.


We are just a few, but there are many of you, Softpedia users, out there. That's why we thought it would be a good idea to create an email address for you to help us a little in finding gadgets we missed. Interesting links are bound to be posted with recognition going mainly to those who submit. The address is .