Medellín based company develops technology that will transform mobility for wheelchair users and improve their quality of life

Brazo Amigo is part of the Mobility for All project, an initiative led by Ruta N and Toyota Mobility Foundation.

Medellín based company Brazo Amigo is advancing the implementation of a device designed for wheelchair users. The technology, developed with local talent, consists of an additional propulsion wheel that attaches to a wheelchair to provide greater autonomy, safety, and comfort during travel. This innovation is part of the Mobility for All project, promoted by Ruta N and Toyota Mobility Foundation, which supports accessible solutions that address real mobility challenges in the city.

“We believe innovation has meaning when it becomes a tool for breaking down barriers and improving people’s quality of life. The device developed by Brazo Amigo aims to provide greater autonomy and safety for wheelchair users. In doing so, we continue to demonstrate that science, technology, and innovation can transform everyday life and help build a city with more opportunities for everyone,” said Carolina Londoño, Executive Director of Ruta N.

As part of this initiative, five residents of the Manrique and Aranjuez neighborhoods who are frequent public transportation users received the first devices to validate their performance under real-life conditions and generate insights that will help strengthen the solution before moving on to a broader implementation phase.

“This device, made in Medellín, was designed to propel wheelchair users across Antioquia’s challenging topography. It will allow them to move freely throughout the city in their daily lives, integrating with public transportation systems and navigating different types of terrain and inclines they may encounter,” explained Neil Alexander Calvo, General Manager of Brazo Amigo.

Among the innovation’s key benefits is its ability to help users safely ascend and descend slopes, as well as its adaptability to the dimensions of each wheelchair without altering its original structure. This facilitates access to and use of buses and articulated vehicles within the public transportation system. In addition, it significantly reduces users’ physical effort by providing support that enhances their independence and quality of life. Brazo Amigo holds its own patent and has received INVIMA registration, supporting its technical reliability and compliance.

“This helping arm will give me the freedom to go out on my own without having to ask someone for assistance. My son will be able to walk beside me instead of behind me. I will have the opportunity to attend school without having to pay for a private car or taxi, which is much more expensive, since I currently have to pay for all my transportation myself. It is going to change my life completely,” said one of the beneficiaries, Iris Durango.

In addition to Brazo Amigo, Mobility for All brings together other innovative initiatives aimed at promoting inclusive mobility: Más Urbano, a platform that identifies routes with fewer barriers; applications developed by Universidad EAFIT and Solyon to help plan accessible journeys; and El Comité, which is designing a lifting platform to facilitate access to public buses.

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