Tag: wheelchair

First of new DART+ trains unveiled

Iarnród Éireann has unveiled the first five-carriage train of the new DART+ Fleet, at Inchicore Works in Dublin.

The new DART fleet which will enable Iarnród Éireann to improve the customer experience across the Greater Dublin Area, including capacity, accessibility and customer information.

The five-carriage train is the first of 185 carriages already on order from rail manufacturer Alstom, and entering service from early 2026 onwards.  The trains were purchased in two orders as part of a framework agreement which provides for up to 750 electric/battery electric carriages over a ten-year period

The fleet orders, funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under Project Ireland 2040, are part of the wider DART+ Programme.  DART+ is a series of infrastructure projects which, together with train orders, will double the capacity and treble the electrification of the Greater Dublin Area’s rail network.  The DART+ Programme is a key element of the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, 2022-2042. DART+ will facilitate sustainable mobility and development to enhance quality of life in our capital and its surrounding counties, through a series of fleet and infrastructure projects. The DART+ Programme is being delivered by Iarnród Éireann on behalf of NTA.

Including the first train, a total of 155 out of the 185 carriages on order are battery-electric which deliver more capacity for commuters in advance of electrification of the lines on which they will operate, with the balance of 30 being electric-only.  The first trains will operate on the Drogheda to Dublin Commuter route, with recharging facilities under construction at Drogheda Station.

The arrival of the new fleet, from Alstom’s Chorzów facility near Katowice in Poland, marks a significant milestone in Iarnród Éireann’s journey to become the backbone of the sustainable transport network in Ireland.

The carriages are the first part of the largest and most sustainable public transport fleet order in Irish history and, once operational, will further improve network accessibility and customer experience by offering:

  • Independent access with low-floor height doorway being equipped with an automatic retractable step, offering the potential for unassisted level access from suitable platforms, aligned with platform enhancements.
  • Wide gangways between carriages creating an open and spacious environment.
  • Improved facilities for wheelchair users, families and cyclists, with dedicated wheelchair and family spaces.
  • Transformed customer information systems on-board including large, high-resolution onboard displays with real-time updates, door illumination and additional features designed for the needs of sensory impaired customers including inductive hearing loops.
  • An advanced on-board CCTV system with cameras throughout every carriage, to enhance safety and security for customers and employees

As the first train in a brand new fleet on the Iarnród Éireann network, the carriages will now begin a rigorous regulatory approval, and testing and commissioning process, at Inchicore Works and on the Greater Dublin Area rail network, before entering service in early 2026.

Each 10-carriage train, made up of two of these five car train sets joined, will be the longest train size operable by the new fleet on current infrastructure, and will have capacity for at least 1,100 customers.

More carriages will arrive steadily over the coming months, with each set undergoing the testing and commissioning process.

Amazon in Dublin supports wheelchair rugby team

A wheelchair rugby club in county Laois has received a €1,000 donation from the team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dublin.

Formed in 2013, Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club supports wheelchair users who have a passion for the sport. The rugby club provides wheelchair users with the accessibility to be involved with non-wheelchair users and participate in the sport together.

The donation from Amazon in Dublin will go towards Wheelchair Rugby Support Equipment and team costs.

Alongside the donation, Declan Naughton from Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club visited Amazon in Dublin for a behind-the-scenes tour of the fulfilment centre.

Tadas Valaisa, an employee from Amazon in Dublin who nominated the charity for support, said:

“As a volunteer for the rugby club, the staff, players and other volunteers have a special place in my heart. I’m pleased that Amazon in Dublin is supporting Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club with this donation.”

Darragh Kelly, General Manager at Amazon in Dublin, said:

“We’re proud to support Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club with this donation. Tadas has raised awareness of the rugby club, and we couldn’t be more pleased to recognise his and the many other staff and volunteers’ service with this donation. We were pleased to welcome Declan on site too, to find out more about his involvement with the club and give him a tour of our workplace. It was a pleasure!”

Declan Naughton, from Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club, added:

“On behalf of everyone at Laois Wheelchair Rugby Club, I would like to say thank you to the team from Amazon in Dublin for their support. Not only are we here to support wheelchair users, we’re also here to provide a great workout with a bit of fun along the way. The donation will assist us as we prepare for the upcoming Irish league and a tournament in Germany at the end of March. Thank you also for hosting me on site – it was lovely to put faces to names.”

The donation to Laois Lions Wheelchair Rugby Club was made as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities in and around its operating locations in Ireland.

Since opening its doors in 2022, the Dublin fulfilment centre has supported many community organisations locally, with donations totalling €46,000. Charities supported by the team at the fulfilment centre include Cliona’s Foundation, Jigsaw and LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

The Amazon fulfilment centre in Dublin, the first of its kind in Ireland, opened in August 2022 providing more than 500 new permanent jobs. The 630,000 square foot centre at Baldonnell Business Park in Dublin holds millions of items that are picked, packed and shipped to customers across Ireland and the rest of Europe.

#IFA2023 – Garmin launches Venu 3 and Venu 3S GPS smartwatches with new features for wheelchair users

Garmin today announced the Venu 3 and Venu 3S GPS smartwatches designed to support every health and fitness goal. Featuring extensive fitness insights, beautiful AMOLED touchscreen displays and an impressive battery life, Venu 3 series is purpose-built to help users get a more complete picture of their health. It also includes new features for wheelchair users—letting them track pushes, follow wheelchair-specific workouts and more. Stay even more connected with Venu 3 series at home or on the go; a built-in speaker and microphone allow users to make and take phone calls or respond to text messages right from the wrist (when paired with a compatible Apple or Android smartphone). Available in two sizes and comfortable enough to wear all day and night, Venu 3 series gets up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. And because users don’t have to charge their watch every night, they can monitor health metrics 24/7 and receive a more holistic view of their stress, Body Battery™ and sleep with new personalized sleep coaching and nap detection.

See how Venu 3 series can help support every health and fitness goal here.

“No matter what your health and fitness journey looks like, Venu 3 is ready to support you every step of the way. Whether your focus is on meaningful rest and relaxation, getting a good workout in, chasing your next PR at an upcoming race, or anything in between, the exciting new features on the Venu 3 series provide even more personalized data, making it easier to understand your body like never before.” – Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales

New features to love

  • Sleep coach: Receive a sleep score and personalized coaching for how much sleep is recommended and keep track of different sleep stages, naps and other key metrics such as Pulse Ox1 and heart rate variability (HRV) status.
  • Morning report: Receive an overview of sleep, recovery, HRV status and more upon waking up. Even customize the report to view more personalized details.
  • Nap detection: Automatically track or log naps to see how they may benefit the body and the suggested time and duration they should be.
  • Body Battery improvements: Monitor energy levels throughout the day to find the best times for activity and rest. And get even more details and personal insights on how sleep, naps, daily activities and high stress specifically impact energy levels2.
  • Wheelchair mode: Track daily pushes and receive weight shift alerts plus wheelchair-specific sports apps and workouts. In creating these new features, the algorithms of some existing features were modified to enhance the meaningfulness of key insights for wheelchair users.
  • Workout benefit and recovery time: Better understand how each workout affects the body and how much time is needed to recover to take on any fitness challenge.
  • Rate of perceived exertion: Record how difficult a workout was and how it felt.
  • Interval creation: Build interval workouts for running and cycling activities right on the watch.
  • Meditation activity: Follow guided meditation practices to help reduce stress, anxiety and more.
  • Built-in speaker and microphone: Make and take calls right from the watch (when paired with a compatible smartphone) and use the smartphone’s voice assistant to respond to text messages and more. Those with an Android phone can also view photo messages and respond to texts using the on-watch keyboard.
  • Two font sizes: Choose between a small or larger font size to view smart notifications, workout data and more with greater ease.

For health gurus

Loaded with extensive health and wellness stats, Venu 3 series is ready to help keep users going strong. And with days of battery life, users don’t have to worry about charging their watch every night, meaning they can have access to certain health features 24/7. Day or night, Venu 3 series can track heart rate2, respiration, Pulse Ox, stress andBody Battery energy levels. While sleeping, Venu 3 series will monitor heart rate variability to provide users with a deeper understanding of their overall health and will also track those “zzz’s” while traveling and offer personalized tips to help reduce jet lag.

For fitness fanatics

With more than 30 built-in sports apps, users can track the ways they move—from walking and running to cycling, pool swimming, activities for wheelchair users and more. Venu 3 series even lets users follow preloaded animated workouts for strength, HIIT, Pilates and yoga right from the watch. Plus, users can create their own step-by-step workouts from more than 1,600 exercises in the Garmin Connect™ app and send them directly to the watch. For those looking to train for a 5K or something a bit longer, free Garmin Coach adaptive training plans can help users prepare. In addition to keeping tabs on daily steps, calories burned and floors climbed, Venu 3 series can track moderate and vigorous intensity minutes, VO2 max during a run or bike ride and cycling power in watts (when paired with a compatible power meter or indoor bike).

For life on the go

Stay connected – even while on the go – with Venu 3 series. In addition to making and taking calls directly from the watch, Venu 3 series lets users receive emails, texts and alerts when paired with their compatible smartphone. Safety and tracking features help provide peace of mind by sending a message with the user’s live location to chosen emergency contacts if they feel unsafe or if an incident is detected3. While out and about, Garmin Pay™ contactless payments let users breeze through certain checkout lines or transit systems4.Users can also download songs and playlists from Spotify®, Amazon Music and Deezer (subscription required) for phone-free listening. What’s more, users can download apps, watch faces and more from the Connect IQ™ Store right on the watch, or find more options in the smartphone app.

Featuring a lightweight, stainless steel bezel and silicone band, Venu 3 is available in whitestone/silver and black/slate while Venu 3S comes in pebble gray/slate, sage gray/silver, French gray/soft gold, dust rose/soft gold and ivory/soft gold. Available now, Venu 3 series has a suggested retail price of $449.99.

Lime establishes Irish Disability Advisory Board to ensure safe and responsible rollout of shared micromobility services

Lime – the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company – has today announced the establishment of an Irish Disability Advisory Board ahead of its expected rollout of e-scooter and e-bike sharing services in Irish towns and cities next year.

The Irish Wheelchair Association and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) will be founding members of the board, which will also be supported by local cycling organisations. The group is being established to help ensure that Lime’s for-hire e-scooter and e-bike services are designed in a safe and responsible way, without negatively impacting local residents or visitors with disabilities or access needs. Lime welcomes further applications from relevant organisations to the Board.

John Fulham, Public Engagement Manager for the Irish Wheelchair Association said, “Irish Wheelchair Association welcomes the opportunity to be involved in Lime’s Irish Disability Advisory Board, where we can offer our advice and represent the voice of people with disabilities as the country prepares for the official introduction of e-scooters in Ireland. It is important that the voice of disabled people is heard and represented in the discussions from as early a stage as is possible.”

Lorna Fitzpatrick, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at NCBI said, “NCBI is happy to participate in Lime’s Irish Disability Advisory Board to share our views that are reflective of the experiences of people who are blind or vision impaired across the country. It is of paramount importance that the experiences of people living with sight loss and all people with access and  mobility requirements are heard and considered as Lime prepares to create a presence in Ireland.”

Hal Stevenson, Lime Senior Public Affairs Manager for Lime in Ireland said, “Safety and inclusivity are central to Lime’s services, wherever we operate, so we’re really proud to be setting up our Irish Disability Advisory Board ahead of the launch of our services here next year. Each organisation provides a different perspective, and their insights and opinions will help us to design and deliver services that can have a positive impact across all communities.”

The Board’s first meeting will take place in July and will meet on a quarterly basis thereafter. Minutes and actions will be recorded during each meeting and shared with Lime’s partner local authorities to ensure full transparency and accountability. The group will be consulted ahead of Lime implementing any new products or service changes in Ireland. Lime will also provide opportunities for the Board to collaborate with its pre-existing Northern European Disability Advisory Board.

Following recent delays to e-scooter legislation in Ireland, Lime is expecting to launch services here in 2023. Commenting on delays to the Government’s legislation to regulate e-scooters, Stevenson added,  “the delays to legislation are unfortunate and prevent safer and more sustainable use of e-scooters in Ireland. Lime is using this additional time to work with the policy makers to ensure  that when regulations are passed they are progressive and proportionate, helping to create a future of transport in Ireland that is shared, green and affordable.”