pushingthelimits.com

A laser guided robot wheelchair that automatically docks with the user’s vehicle and loads itself into the trunk has been developed by US company Freedom Sciences. The rather catchy named ATRS (Automated Transport and Retrieval System), uses the same laser guiding technology used by NASA when docking with the International Space Station. Sweet.

Using the new system, the user opens the door of their van and presses a button to lower the front seat so they can climb in. A remote control is then used to drive the chair round to the back of the van.

From here on, a computer inside the vehicle takes over. Using radio signals and laser guidance, it positions the chair onto the forks of a lift that hauls the wheelchair on board, and closes the door.

Either that or the chair, now armed with freakin’ space lasers, goes on an autonomous death ride through the nearest mall, hunting us down like dogs while we wait in line for a wii.

We thought we were doomed when we found out about those thought controlled wheelchairs, but this is a whole new level of craziness. Autonomous wheelchairs armed with space lasers, frack.

Once again, we would like to be the first to welcome our new robotic overlords.

Freedom Sciences