This agreement will enable more people living with disabilities to access and benefit from Permobil and KARMA’s innovative mobility, seating and positioning solutions and power assist devices.

Permobil and KARMA Medical have signed a memorandum of understanding focused on utilizing their respective strengths and distributing complementary products from each other’s portfolios in selected markets. The initial focus will be on the Asia-Pacific markets where the two organisations have complementary presence. 

“Enriching every physically challenged life has been KARMA’s mission since the begining. Permobil and KARMA complement with each other both in the product portfolio and geographic locations. Through this cooperation, we will provide more value to our global users. ” said Kenny Chen, Chairman, and Founder of KARMA Medical.

 “We are delighted to enter into this agreement with KARMA Medical, with whom we share a strong ‘user-first’ culture. We look forward to a quick alignment of our complementary portfolios and respective teams so that we can serve more people across the Asia-Pacific region,” said Bengt Thorsson, CEO and President of Permobil.

About KARMA Medical

KARMA Medical was founded in 1987, under the principles of its namesake philosophy, taking action to spread positive energy and enrich the lives of the physically challenged community. Over the last three decades, all 900+ members of the KARMA family, across 13 global facilities, have worked together tirelessly to perfect the “KARMA FIT”: a set of guiding principles, by which we design and manufacture every KARMA wheelchair, mobility scooter, and walker. Our global cooperation with users, healthcare professionals, and government officials further drives our technological innovation to the industry forefront, empowering millions of people around the world with the ability to live their lives to the fullest. Visit karmamedical.com/en-in to learn more about KARMA.

About Permobil

Permobil founder Dr. Per Uddén believed that helping individuals achieve the greatest level of independence is a basic human right and, for over 50 years, that has been the driving force behind our innovative assistive technology. We are passionate about understanding our users’ needs and helping them live life to the fullest. We are a global leader in trusted healthcare solutions for power and manual wheelchairs, seating and positioning products, and power assist. Permobil is part of Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of Investor AB and is headquartered in Sweden. Permobil has 1600 team members in more than 15 countries around the world. For more information regarding the company’s storied history and complete product line visit permobil.com.

KARMA Medical and Permobil enter into strategic partnership

This will be our 12th participation to 2019 Arab Health expo, the largest rehabilitation trade-show in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Expo has connected us with so many amazing partners since we joint 12 years ago. We hope to meet some old friends as well as new connections from 28th to 31st, January 2019, at Dubai World Trade Center.

This year, we are most excited about the live product demo shows at our booth. During the four days expo, we will introduce you our brand new pediatric wheelchairs, high-end prescription power wheelchairs, and other exciting products and accessories designed just for the middle east market. 

2019 Arab Health

Location: Dubai World Trade Center
Date & Time:10:00 – 18:00 (10:00 – 17:00 on the 31st)  from 28th 31st. January. 2019 
KARMA Medical Booth: Hall 4 – C49

We sincerely invite you to visit KARMA at 2019 Arab Health!

Register for a free visit before 28th Jan. 2019

REGISTER HERE

Raquel Yuste Mieres, the General Manager of Karma Mobility Spain said, “This year is the second time for us to attend OMC. We are very happy to be part of the show. We had connected with many professionals and it was great to be able sharing the knowledge and the passion for making the rehabilitation industry better together. See you next time in Madrid, Spain in 2020.”

KARMA Mobility Spain Team : Janoy, Walter, Carlos, Alejandro, Raquel, Carmen, Morwenna, and Pedro.

Francisco Zuasti, the author of TODO DISCA, the leading media for rehabilitation in Spain had also shared his impressions and experience with KARMA Top Lines wheelchairs (MID Lectus, EVO Altus and EVO Lectus) and other products at Ortomedical Care 2018 as a specialist in Accessibility and Technical Aids. 

OMC Spanish trade fair is considered the most important event in Southern Europe for orthopedics, technical tools and professional services for older people and people with disabilities. It takes place every two years in Madrid and is the leading exhibition and at the same time the showcase of the industry in Spain.

SOMA 215 stood out from over one thousand competing products and was announced one of the winners of the 2019 Taiwan Excellence Award, winning the award for the seventh consecutive year. It is an outstanding continuation to last year’s win by EVO Lectus.

Taiwan Excellence Award Ceremony on 9th. November in Taipei, Taiwan.

SOMA 215 is known for its compact size and ultralight weight. Weighing only 9.9 kg and foldable, it is only slightly bigger than a suitcase after it is folded and can be easily fitted into the trunk of a car. Day to day transportation is effortless with SOMA 215.

The unique designs of the swivel legrests and tipping lever provide a friendly and more comfortable experience for both the user and the caregiver.

SOMA 215 is light to pack, easy to fold and ready to go at any time.

One of Karma’s mission is to enrich the lives of every physically challenged individual. Being honored again by the Taiwan Excellence Award drives Karma to exceed expectations and to meet the needs of the rapidly-evolving world.

About Taiwan Excellence Award

Taiwan Excellence Award was formulated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) of Taiwan, executed by TAITRA to assist numerous Taiwan brands entering the global market while enhancing the Innovalue (innovation + add-value) of Taiwan products.

Here are some of the highlights of the four-day show.

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Mobotics Lab and iBuddy

“What do you want to do when you get old?” You might have lots of plans, but being pushed around on a wheelchair, is definitely NOT one of them. What if you can have a robot that can follow you around and can bring you home when you are tired? While the concept might sound like science fiction, it is not. It is something we all might need eventually. Remember a time when no one thought they needed a mobile phone? Today, mobile phones are nearly ubiquitous.

Built by KARMA’s very own Mobotics Lab, iBuddy is a mobility robot that encourages the elderlies to walk as much as they want. We had the lovely “Uncle Eric” join us at Rehacare and show us how the older generation can still enjoy the benefits of new technology. According to Uncle Eric, iBuddy is not just a “pet.” iBuddy provides him a sense of security while still enjoying the outdoors.

Kameleon

We launched at Rehacare, Kameleon, KARMA’s newest high-end pediatric power wheelchair.  It was thrilling to see the overwhelmingly positive feedback from therapists and distributors worldwide.

Designed for children ages 3 to 12 years old, Kameleon helps children develop their independent mobility in the smoothest way possible.  It is the first of its kind on the market to offer four power functions: power recline, tilt-in-space, elevating seat, and elevating leg-rest.

Besides all of its amazing features, Kameleon has a “keep a low-profile” design. According to the designer, “It is important to let the child be the main focus of his or her social interaction and not the wheelchair.” Therefore, the design is very simple and concise. The product can be expected to be on the market by March 2019.

LS-300

The brand new LS-300 is a love child of NHD and KARMA Medical.  Based on the design of KARMA Leon power base and Lectus Seat, LS-300 breaks the record and is the lowest power wheelchair seat-to-floor-height on the market, with its stunning 30cm height!

The designer of LS-300, Øyvind Braseth, was on hand during the trade show. According to him, the seat-to-floor-height is critical for the user to overcome the environmental barrier, such as driving a car. LS-300 is low enough for the user to get into the driver seat or to reach the floor if need be. The power elevating seat module also allows the user to adjust seat height from 30cm to 60cm.

Flexx Family

Another highlight of the trade show is the new addition to the Flexx family, Flexx Junior.  It is a pediatric wheelchair designed to accommodate children as they grow and mature. We now have a more complete Prescriptive Product line.

We also updated the eFlexx* with a powerful motor and quick-release rear wheel design, which brings down the weight of the heaviest part to 15kg.
*Attendant-propel model

VIP 2

VIP 2 is one of the most popular models we have at our booth this year. The model is especially attractive to the Asian and parts of the European market, where “being able to fold” is a MUST for a tilt and recline wheelchair. 

Finally, we want to say…

On behave of KARMA Taiwan, KARMA Spain, and NHD, thank you again for joining us at Rehacare 2018!  Hope to see you soon.

KARMA Taiwan Team
President Kenny Chen, CEO Jersey Chen
Global Sales Team: Manager Lotus Wu, sales rep. Bow Tien, Joe Yang
KARMA Mobility Spain Team
General Manager Raquel Yuste Mieres & Janoy Benitez
NHD
Designer Øyvind Braseth
– – – –
The news is written by Paige Chen, Brand and Marketing Manager.

Snapshots of 2018 Rehacare

At the end of this September, we had iBuddy’s world premiere at Rehacare, the world leading trade fair for rehabilitation. And we had received a great amount of good feedback from guests and media. Here we want to introduce iBuddy by sharing the article from AT Today with you.

– – – –

 A new conceptual wheelchair prototype turned heads at this year’s Rehacare exhibition in Germany with the innovative ability to be able to follow users around, encouraging people to remain as active as possible.

Created by Mobotics Lab (the research & development team at Karma Medical in Taiwan), the iBuddy is a unique new mobility solution that uses a series of patent electronics to sense its surroundings in real-time and be closely follow the person using the device.

Described as a smart-wheelchair, the device is aimed at the elderly who are showing signs of declining mobility says the company, with the aim of keeping the user walking for as long as possible, promoting a healthy lifestyle and independence.

Users can control the wheelchair via a specialist Karma Medical wristband or from their phone by means of a dedicated iBuddy app, with both options created by the company to make the device as user-friendly and interactive as possible.

Mark Duffield, Karma Mobility UK‘s General Manager, commented: “This is a fantastic example of what the research & development team at Karma in Taiwan are continually developing and we are very excited about having a prototype here in the UK in the future.”

The company says the robotic wheelchair will give users the confidence to walk journeys that they would use a wheelchair in the past, with peace of mind for themselves and their carers that the device is on hand when walking becomes tiring and strenuous.

In addition to the innovative features, Karma Medical says the device also helps shake the stigma associated with mobility aids with its futuristic design, allowing walking aids to be seen as fun and trendy.

Importantly, iBuddy includes elements designed for the needs of carers and family members, such as in the case of an emergency, where the iBuddy can share the exact location of the user in real-time, allowing assistance to arrive promptly. 

– – – –

More about iBuddy :
Mobotics Lab : https://goo.gl/fXCj26
iBuddy : https://goo.gl/iQGJYh

See iBuddy in action below :

iBuddy Gallery

We are pleased to invite you to visit Karma Medical’s booth at H.C.R 2018.

This is our 30th year anniversary. As we keep learning about the needs of wheelchair users, we ask ourselves what might be the NEXT generation of wheelchairs? This year, a new milestone has been excitedly made. We can not wait to share this intelligent product with you.
Join us to learn more about a mobility solution that incorporates robotics, IoT, cloud, and other latest technology.

Power Wheelchair
eFlexx | One of the lightest foldable power wheelchairs on the market.
Ergo Stand | Ergo Stand Creating a new vision for wheelchair users by face-to-face interactions.

Manual Wheelchair
VIP2 TR | The one and only foldable tilt-in-space and recline wheelchair.
S-Ergo 125 | Designed for senior citizens with detachable armrest and footrest.
Ergo Lite Series | Providing solutions for long-term sitting and ultra-lightweight for daily carriage.
SOMA 215 | Compact, easy to transit, and defined to be affordable.

Smart Wheelchair
iBuddy | The brand new concept of mobility solution goes beyond your expectation.

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Come to our booth to find out more. We look forward to seeing you soon.

2018 H.C.R (Int’ Home Care Rehabilitation Exhibition) | Tokyo Big Sight, Japan
2018/10/10 – 2018/10/12 from 10:00-17:30 (Last day 10:00-16:00)
Booth No. | East Hall 6-21-04

Karma Medical | Taipei, Taiwan

We are very proud to announce that EvO Altus, the newly designed power standing wheelchair has been awarded as one of the Red Dot winners of 2018 Red Dot Award – Product Design.

Eric van Olst, the chief of product innovation & Kenny Chen, the CEO of Karma Medical.
2018 Red Dot Award Ceremony on 9th.July 2018 at Essen, Germnay.

The Red Dot Award: Product Design has roots dating back as far as 1955 and determines the best products created each year. In 2018, designers and manufacturers from 59 countries submitted more than 6,300 objects to the competition. True to the motto “In search of good design and innovation”, a jury comprising roughly 40 members assessed the products individually based on the original. The strict judging criteria, which include level of innovation, functionality, formal quality, ergonomics and durability, provide a frame of reference which the jurors then complement with their own expertise.

This award is another great encouragement after the chair was awarded with the 2015 iF Design Award. It continues to drive us to help users with serious symptoms to have independent mobility.

The growth of ageing population has directed the worldwide wheelchair industry to focus strongly on the elderly demand. However, there are still small groups of people who suffer from rare diseases. These patients have very little control over their body, just like the world renowned physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking. Therefore, they need very specific kind of assistive technology to help them to live up with their potential. This, is our motive to create EvO Altus.

EvO Altus with Standing Function

The R&D teams from Karma Taiwan & Karma Europe have been working for three years to develop this advance power wheelchair. With the powerful EvO chassis suited with R-Net controls, the chair can operate electrical devices with infrared and Bluetooth, substantially expanding the user function on the chair. Furthermore, EvO Altus provides a wide range of weight shifting features, including lying, tilting, standing, and elevating. It allows users to have a tailored and customized experience.

EvO Altus Electrical Position Conversion: Lifting, Tilt-in-Space, Standing (From left to right.)

We’re looking forward to presenting EvO Altus to the market and show our ambition to enrich every physically challenged life.  

EvO Altus Product Video | Youtube

2018/07/15 updated.
Karma Medical. Taipei, Taiwan.

We are pleased to invite you to visit Karma Medical’s booth at REHACare 2018.

This is our 30th year anniversary. As we keep learning about the needs of wheelchair users, we ask ourselves what might be the NEXT generation of wheelchairs? This year, a new milestone has been excitedly made. We can not wait to share this intelligent product with you.
Join us to learn more about a mobility solution that incorporates robotics, IoT, cloud, and other latest technology.

Power Wheelchair
LS-300 | Outstanding power base with extremely low seat height
eFlexx | One of the lightest foldable power wheelchairs on the market.
Morgan | Mid-wheel drive power wheelchair compatible with 4+ seating systems
Leon | Rear-wheel drive power wheelchair compatible with 4+ seating systems

Manual Wheelchair

VIP2 TR | The one and only foldable tilt-in-space and recline wheelchair
Flexx | Adjustable, robust, and lightweight.
Flexx Jr. | Grow with children aged from 7 to 14.

Smart Wheelchair 
iBuddy | The brand new concept of mobility solution goes beyond your expectation.

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Come to our booth to find out more. We look forward to seeing you soon.

2018 Rehacare International | Messe Düsseldorf , Germany
2018/09/26 – 2018/09/29 | 10:00-18:00 (Last day 10:00-17:00)
Booth No. D23 @ Hall 6

Karma Medical | Taipei, Taiwan