Wheelchair-bound people require the assistance of others in order to get into a bathtub. Solutions have come in the forms of bath lifts, walk-in bathtubs, and rising wall bathtubs. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Recently designers Kim Jung Su, Yoon Ji Soo and Kim Dong Hwan won a Red Dot design award for their own take at the accessible bathtub problem – Flume Bathtub which was designed to bring more independence to the bather. The bathtub tilts like a seesaw down to a level at which a person take hold of the attached handles and transfer themselves from the wheelchair to the tub. A seat is built in at the point of entry. As water fills the tub, it balances out the weight distribution, and the tub gradually becomes centered and level. The reverse occurs when the water is drained, allowing the bather to return to the wheelchair. Really brilliant ideas and I hope this concept can come true soon. [source]
