When George Westinghouse, an American inventor who received 361 patents in his life died in the early twentieth century, drawings of a design for an electric wheelchair were found close to his body. Unfortunately for the disabled of the time, this pioneer in electrical inventions had died before his invention could be completed.

Perhaps the first power chair was invented shortly afterwards, in 1912, when a small engine was added to a tricycle. However, the first powerchair to go into commercial production was in 1916, just in time to be of use to World War 1 Veterans, although its bulk and expense put most disabled users off.

Canada made major advances in the 1950, with a collaborative team effort tha, for the first time, actually had disabled war veterans collaboarating in the design process.

Earnest and Jenning's were probably the first to manufacture the power chair on a mahor commercial scale. These were extremely basic and jerky: they had no circtuit board, had two speeds (high and low) and very basic steering - a far cry from the sophisticated powerchairs of today!

The Power Chairs of today are extremely sophisticated machines, a far cry from the simple machines of the 1950's. They can climb stairs, transverse rough terrain and raise the user up to full height. Perhaps the most sophisticated power chair is the Ibot, which inventor Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, insists is not a wheelchair - you don't use an Ibot, he says, you wear it.

Other users combine their power chairs with their personal computer to increase mobility. Perhaps the most famous power chair user alive today, Stephen Hawking, is able to open doors, operate electrical appliances such as the TV and talk from his power chair.