In a statement sent to Lusa News Agency, UMinho says that the equipment promises to be a solution for difficult cases, that usually see people being forced to use a wheelchair.

The innovation has already been distinguished by the National Institute for Rehabilitation and also involves the Braga Hospital and the companies OrthosXXI and Tecnicunha, being co-financed by Compete 2020.

"This 100 percent Portuguese technology allows the improvement of the stability of the patient, in addition to monitoring his physical condition, thus supporting therapists in an effective and intelligent rehabilitation", explains the project coordinator.

"The device allows greater safety even in the most difficult cases, in which, due to the lack of stable solutions, patients end up being indicated for wheelchairs", stresses Cristina Santos.

The statement says that the stroller's stability and differentiation are achieved through artificial intelligence and its own design, guaranteeing the user less chance of incidents.

The equipment also has several contexts of use: in manual mode, with total control of the user; with remote control by others, such as monitored and conducted by the physiotherapist; in pre-programmed / autonomous mode, with a pre-established goal, adjusting the route and avoiding any obstacles; and in mixed mode, being driven by the user but with alarms to warn about obstacles, body distance or any risks.