Interview with Jeff Yoshioka
Gary Barg: As a comic book geek, I have to tell you, your chair is the closes thing to Professor X’s chair in the X-Men Comic Book and movies. It is really beautiful, does it float? Seriously, it looks really comfortable. Tell me how you came about designing it.
Jeff Yoshioka: Thank you, thank you, well actually it was in the “Batman vs. Superman movie. Not our latest model, but our first-generation product. So please check that out.
Gary Barg: Oh I saw that, that’s great.
Jeff Yoshioka: WHILL started in 2012. It all began with a single user’s voice, back in Japan where the company started. He lost confidence in traveling across the terrain around his home and didn’t feel confident in the way he looked in his device. So, he stopped going out, even to go to the grocery store just two blocks away. He expressed this concern to his friends, who are now the cofounders of WHILL, and as a weekend project, they thought why not try and work on a device that would give him back that confidence. A couple years later they came out with the first product and showed it off at the Tokyo Motor Show. They got rave reviews, and from there they decided why not give this opportunity to more people around the world. And that’s how WHILL began.
Gary Barg: I have to imagine when people see someone in the chair, instead of looking away they’re intrigued and ask about it.
Jeff Yoshioka: The great thing about the device is that it really changes the conversations people have with our users. They don’t avoid the person anymore or ask if they need help. Rather, they ask them, “What is that cool thing you’re driving there?” So, it’s changing the perception people have of mobility products.
Gary Barg: I always say the definition of Caregiver Friendly is a wheelchair that is as comfortable for the care recipients as it is easy to lift and place in the back of the caregiver’s car. How easy is it for a caregiver to manage your chairs?
Jeff Yoshioka: We recently launched our model Ci, which is our portable version. We went from a 250 lb. chair down to a 115 lb. device that disassembles into three components. As a caregiver, it’s a lot simpler to manage, and you don’t need an accessible vehicle to get from point A to point B. The entire chair breaks down into its components in less than 10 seconds. There’s just two levers that you have to work with and no wires to disconnect. The heaviest piece is 44 lbs. without the battery, so it still is a manageable component to lift. With most other travel devices, the weight is typically right around 50 lbs., so it is lighter than that. And we do have multiple configurations of placing it within the trunk to optimize the space. That way you can place the device in the trunk as well as other things that you might be transporting.
One of the unique features about our chairs is our front Omni wheels. That’s what provides a level of versatility difficult to find in any other device. The Omni wheel 24 individual rollers that roll side-to-side. That allows us to get rid of the traditional caster wheel which typically makes it difficult for people to travel across various terrains when outdoors. Also, when you’re inside, it causes a lot of issues with turning in tight spaces and hitting furniture or walls. It also makes it difficult sometimes to get in and out of the device, because it creates obstructions. So, with our chair having the Omni wheel technology, it provides a single footprint that never changes, as well as a very tight turning radius in small spaces. When you go outside, you’re able to travel across various terrains a lot easier and climb obstacles up to two inches. So where there’s no curb cuts, typically it’s not as much of an issue because you can just climb up that curb.
Gary Barg: Jeff, talk to me about the technology in the model Ci.
Jeff Yoshioka: Sure, one of the great features about the model Ci is that we integrate the latest technologies. It does include Bluetooth technology, where you can operate the chair with your mobile phone, as well as monitor the health of your battery and look at how far your chair has driven over time. It also has three speed profile settings. For indoor use, you can use the eco-mode, or outdoors, you can use the sport mode, and zip around town as fast as you like. Another great thing is that we offer mobile data connectivity in our device. What that does is to allow us to provide remote diagnostics and remote support. So, if for any reason you encounter an error on your chair, and you’re not sure what that error is, you can call our technical support team, and they can connect directly to your chair and see what problems you’re having. We can resolve your issue a lot quicker than having to send a technician out to you.
Gary Barg: What are you hearing from family caregivers?
Jeff Yoshioka: Oh they definitely love the portability of the product, not just for themselves but also for the user, because it can give them more independence to go places they want to go without needing help from the caregiver. So if they want to call an Uber or a taxi to go meet with friends, or if the friends want to pick them up and they don’t have an accessible vehicle, you know it really opens up a lot of options for them. And the model Ci, is a very durable product and very stable. So as far as peace of mind from the caregiver’s standpoint, they worry less about their family member or loved one while they’re out on their own.
Gary Barg: How much battery life does it have, how long can I go on it?
Jeff Yoshioka: We have a lithium ion battery which weighs only six pounds, and can get up to ten miles per charge. It does charge very quickly, from zero to 100% in about five hours. There is also an option to purchase a spare battery and keep that in the under-seat basket that comes standard with the device. It’s quick to swap out a new battery in less than maybe five seconds. You can put a new battery in and get another ten mile range.
Gary Barg: How do we get the chair?
Jeff Yoshioka: Great question. We have a large reseller network across the US, as well as online resellers. We utilize 1-800-wheelchair, Spinlife, Scoot Around, and Top Mobility so people can purchase the product online. If they would like to schedule a test drive with one of our resellers, they can give us a call and we can put them in touch. Our phone number is 844-699-4455, and you would want to choose extension #1, to speak with our product specialist. And for more information, people can visit www.whill.us.
Gary Barg: What would be the one most important piece of advice you’d have to share with family caregivers?
Jeff Yoshioka: That’s a great question Gary, you know I think it’s definitely picking the device that fits your lifestyle. Looking out for where your loved one wants to go, the activities they like to do, and how they get from point A to point B. And what type of independence that the device will give to them. The level of independence that you want your loved one to have, is key in the decision making process when purchasing a mobility device.