Wheels of Change - DREAM wheelchair
In 2017, the charities Whizz-Kidz and Duchenne UK came together, with the help of academics at Edinburgh University and an award of £1m from the People’s Postcode Lottery’s Dream Fund, to design a chair that would not just meet medical needs but harness technology and design to meet a young person’s dreams and aspirations.
The project called Wheels of Change sought to radically improve both the quality of life and the life chances of young wheelchair-users by developing a wheelchair for disabled children that is technologically impressive, modular, and affordable.
No attempt has been made to design a paediatric chair from basic principles to maximise life opportunities for young people through innovative design & modern manufacturing.
The new modular chair will grow with the child and meet the needs of 21st century living.
Following a workshop at the Innovation Hub in London in 2018, a shortlist of 72 recommendations were put forward; all of which would address the everyday challenges faced by young wheelchair users.
DREAM wheechair Prototype. (Image courtesy of Williams Advanced Engineering)
Aergo Health was delighted to be part of the project team working alongside Curtiss Wright, Somo Global, Frazer-Nash Consultancy and Edinburgh University to turn the project from a dream into a reality.
The team co-designed the Smart Seat which offers Aergo Health’s patented air cell technology to provide dynamic postural management. Ensuring whichever position the user shifts into, the air cells would automatically adjust to ensure the user continues to sit in an optimal seated position.
The DREAM wheelchair prototype was successfully launched in December 2020.
Sheana Yu, Aergo Health CEO commented at the time;
“Working on the Wheels for Change project with such creative young people and alongside amazing organisations, is one of my proudest moments. I will be excited to follow the journey of the DREAM chair - this is just the beginning.”
The success of the DREAM wheelchair prototype meant that further funding could be secured from Duchenne UK and Motability Operations which would allow a feasibility study to bring the chair to market. A range of design and engineering reviews have since been commissioned.
You can have a watch at the original pitch for funding here:
