Permobil's SmartDrive MX2+ wheelchair power assist now supports Apple Watch

What you need to know

• Permobil's SmartDrive MX2+ now supports Apple Watch.
• The app allows wheelchair users to control their SmartDrive MX2+ all on their wrist.
• Permobil's SmartDrive MX2+ is a power assist module for manual wheelchairs.

Permobil has this week announced that its wheelchair power assist product, the SmartDrive MX2+, now has an Apple Watch app.

Available on the App Store, the new SmartDrive MX2+ app allows users to control their SmartDrive MX2+ on their wrist using gesture-activated hand controls. It also offers activity tracking for wheelchair users. From Permobil:

Permobil's SmartDrive MX2+ is a standalone power assist module for manual wheelchair users, designed to reduce stress on the upper body of wheelchair users by reducing pushes by about 80%. Permobil offers two PushTracker watches free with its SmartDrive unit, but now lets users with an Apple Watch Series 5 or later control the SmartDrive through the new Apple Watch app.

A flurry of early ratings for the app says that it is a big improvement over Permobil's own offerings. "I have used multiple push trackers, and a push tracker E2. This app on the Apple Watch provides a much better control mechanism," wrote one customer, describing the interface as simple, intuitive, and responsive. Another said it was very easy to install and pair and had "much better audio feedback and response to taps" than the included watch.

There's always Amazon