down stairs at a low cost without sacrificing functionality.

The two current options for wheelchair users to use stairs in their home are vastly inadequate. Stairlifts require the user to get out of their wheelchair, into the stairlift and then into another wheelchair at the top of the stairs. This almost always required an attendant, especially for the ill or elderly. Platform lifts are easier to use, however they designed for institutional settings and require staircases that are much wider than a residential staircase. They are also prohibitively expensive and can be upwards of $20,000 installed.