Toledo (EFE).- The residents of the National Hospital for Paraplegics, in Toledo, can enjoy the first simracing simulator adapted to people with reduced mobility, a technological advance that represents a first contact with driving, while allows users to play and compete at the highest level.
Ford and the ONCE Foundation have presented this device at the health center, developed by the specialized company Hi-Speed Simulators, which has a wheel with rings identical to that of adapted vehicles in real life and which meets the needs of drivers with mobility reduced.
In this way, the mechanical movement of the simracing simulator (or virtual motorsport), awarded at the Aster Awards in the marketing and CSR category, is very similar to that of an adapted vehicle, so that people with disabilities or reduced mobility gain autonomy and freedom in your life.
A simulator that helps to drive again
Paralympic athlete Gema Hassen-Bey, who gave Spain its first fencing medal at the Barcelona Games, has had the opportunity to test this simulator which, as she has indicated, “helps to drive again” with a steering wheel “which is the cane”.
The Ford Adapta simulator, compatible with all types of hardware and video games, will remain permanently in this public center, a national benchmark for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, where Team Fordzilla manager, José Iglesias, will give face-to-face driving classes virtual and sim racing.
Likewise, the company has made available to the health center several vehicles from the first vehicle in its 100% electric range for people with reduced mobility, the Mustang Mach-E model, so that its residents can test them.
The Hospital for Paraplegics seeks for patients to regain autonomy
At the presentation ceremony, the managing director of the National Hospital for Paraplegics, Sagrario de la Azuela, highlighted that the center’s professionals are dedicated to “adapting the lives” of patients so that they acquire “sufficient autonomy, such as that give a vehicle.
“That is part of the care and service we offer,” he assured.
For her part, the Secretary General of the ONCE Foundation and Director of Transformation, Excellence and Equality, Virginia Carcedo, stressed that mobility “restores employment and life” to people with some type of physical disability and gives “freedom to be and do. It’s about going far, not fast.”
The president of Ford Spain, Jesús Alonso, has said that this device “normalizes and facilitates” driving for people with disabilities.
“We have developed this simulator with a ‘gaming’ program so that people can enjoy playing, encouraging competition and having fun”, he explained.
They appreciate an innovative advance that “removes barriers”
The event was also attended by the General Director of Disability of the Castilla-La Mancha Community Board, Javier Pérez Fernández, who thanked this innovative advance that “eliminates barriers” and has indicated the need to advance in regulations and resources in sustainability and accessibility.
The presentation was closed by the Director General of Humanization and Socio-Health Care of the regional government, María Teresa Marín Rubio, who pointed out that development “is not such if it does not reach everyone” and that innovating “in small things”, as in this case , it will mean “enormous advances”.
“Moving forward together is the only way for the real future that we have to achieve integration”, he concluded.
