[xm177e2]

no one will be able to service or afford them

$29,000 is the cost of a low-end luxury car. If people can afford those, people will be able to afford these. Hell, there are people who save up money for years on end just to get a doctor to cut their johnson off. An iBOT would be worth $29,000 to a lot of people.

Medicare will not pay for them.

Good! Every time a new technology or medicine comes out, we shouldn't have to provide it to everyone sick, old, or disabled. Costs would keep rising and government would keep growing. The faster we innovated new things, the faster the burden would grow on the innovators.

If you have enough money to support your robotic wheelchair addiction, or you can sucker someone else into paying for it, then by all means, get one and I'll be very happy for you. This isn't the sort of thing taxpayers should be picking up the tab for.

[BushCountry]

The difference between these $29,000 wheelchairs and a car, is that to service them they will have to fly in a tech. The repair costs will be over a $1,000 a pop just for labor. Heck, if they sell a boatload of them, it might be a good market to get into for us techies. I would love to work on them. My inner geek talking.

But, if someone can afford them, the freedom it provides is great. These are remarkable machines and I hope they improve the quality of life for all that can afford them.

[TBall]

I would have no problem having the government making a small investment in this technology. Say the buy 1,000 Ibots and use a lottery system to determine who gets to use them. The small investment could get the ball rolling towards making this device much more affordable.

[Calpernia]

>>>>Good! Every time a new technology or medicine comes out, we shouldn't have to provide it to everyone sick, old, or disabled. Costs would keep rising and government would keep growing. The faster we innovated new things, the faster the burden would grow on the innovators.

Wow! You have a great point; but may I point out that your message would travel further in a different context?

I too am an angry tax paying conservative. However, if you word your words better, ie, let the new invention be subsidized by private philanthropies...that message may reach more then your approach. And it will keep you from being flamed.