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Help with wheelchair software (lemmy.zip)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by win95@lemmy.zip to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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Ahoy!

I got a new phone yesterday. I also use a wheelchair. The wheels have an app called "e-motion M25" which I used on my old phone. I patched it using lucky patcher since most functions (turn wheels on, cruise control, remote to drive the wheelchair to my current chair) are behind an incredible expensive paywall.

Since I don't own the wheels (they're technically still insurance property) and the software isn't super reliable, I won't pay over €300 just to use my wheels.

But I can't seem to patch it on my new phone, even when sharing the patched app directly from my old one. The store simply won't open. I've not been rooted since forever and prefer not to root at all, since it was possible to do so on my old phone.

Would anybody care to help me out or give me some tips on where to look? Thanks in advance!

UPDATE after spending my entire morning on the floor, I installed older versions of the app until I found one that worked with luckypatcher. I know it's a small chance but if someone using the same wheels finds this post, you have to figure out how to download luckypatcher and use this version of the app. In lucky patcher create a multi patch APK and make sure to turn off "billing" in the second screen. When opening the store, be careful not to scroll to the complete bottom or else the app wil crash. Buy each pack individually and lucky patcher will handle things from there.

To every commenter: thank you. Lemmings are the best and capitalism is the devil.

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[-] CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world 88 points 8 months ago

Jesus fucking mother of Christ.

Ok, I'm going to skip my indignation.

I'm not an app developer or a wheel chair person. That said, we need some info to help you better.

What phone? Android or iOS?
link to the app (and a link it's APK or whatever iPhones equivalent to an APK would be)
instructions on how you register, e.g. is registration tied to your phone, the wheelchair, or both?

Here is some general hacking advice:

check online for your wheelchairs "provider" manual. I "hacked" my CPAP machine a few years back. My doctor forgot to turn on heated tubing and the setting was hidden behind a "provider" menu. Chances are good that there will be a similar manual for your wheelchair.
if you haven't already, search for the make and model of your wheelchair and see if there are forums or discussion boards
typically, physical access is the best access. Depending on how your phone communicates with the chair, you might able to spy on the signals that it uses. My guess is Bluetooth. It probably is encrypted but medical devices are notoriously easy skimpy on their tech security. Might be worth a try
If you have the tools and the knowledge, consider taking apart the wheelchair to access the physical components. Information like the processor, chip set, etc will make it easier to understand how it works. While you might expect custom boards and software, more and more devices are going the Raspberry Pi or Pico route because they are cheaper to manufacturer than to do a whole custom board. If it's a run of the mill consumer board, you have a lot more attack vectors.

Often settings like these are based on PKI(Public Key Infrastructure), meaning that the program on your wheelchair likely knows the public key for the company and will test any input to change the settings will require the private key. Again, generally speaking.

But also generally speaking, medical equipment, especially consumer equipment, has to deal with the lowest common denominator, meaning people who don't have apps, who don't know what a smart phone is, etc. Because of that, my hunch is that the setting is in plain text and you just need to change it.

You also have to remember that the people setting this up are often in doctors offices, which means it must be easy to do because time is of the essence. The doctor would not recommend their product if it takes more than a few minutes to set up.

I'm sorry I can't give you better more specific advice but hopefully you can figure this out.

[-] win95@lemmy.zip 43 points 8 months ago

Thank you for the detailed reply! Details:

Android (pixel 8)
play store link
When buying the pack, the functions are tied to the wheels itself so not a google or other account

I did find the mechanic manual a few years back so I could get into the "professionals only" menu and I was able to tweak the push sensitivity which my provider couldn't figure out ironically. The packs however are a different add-on. The only thing I can find online are people asking if it's worth the money, or people who bought it. Not really a popular hacking device it seems.

It sucks that I'm not technical enough to open up the wheels - i also find it a bit scary since I literally need this thing everyday and my provider is already neglecting their customers.

[-] CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Edit: I just saw your edit. Great job fixing it! God I hate that you had to do this.

What is the make and model of the wheelchair and the wheels?

Links to their official website would be helpful.

Did your wheelchair come with a regular manual? A link to a PDF would also help.

If you want to go down a more...questionable route, you could call the wheelchair provider number. Use social engineering by saying you're from a doctor's office and you can't get the wheels to activate.

It helps to have a friend do this for you. You want a buffer and you want your friend to say "I am not sure" or "I don't know" a lot. That way the company gives him or her more information on what to do next before calling you back.

This is a terrible situation. Maybe your insurance will spring for the cost. It's so infuriating that if I had access, I probably wouldn't sleep until I figured it out and posted it everywhere.