Williams Advanced Engineering refining special wheelchair for young users

LONDON: Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) is working with Whizz-Kids and Frazer-Nash Consultancy to refine the DREAM wheelchair concept.

The wheelchair has been designed by children for young wheelchair users, showcasing the way in which technology and design can help overcome the daily challenges faced by young wheelchair users.

WAE said it would use its experience in product design to further improve the wheelchair including a twist and smart features seat and kerb climb ability whilst ensuring the seat is able to support a modular construction.

Using its knowledge of the healthcare industry, gained through a series of high-profile projects such as Babypod (a lightweight incubator for the transportation of critically ill children) and a Paralympic handbike the company said it would strive to ensure the individual needs of the user are central to both the design and manufacture of the wheelchairs.

In 2017 the charities Whizz-Kidz and Duchenne UK came together, with the help of academics at Edinburgh University and an award of £1 million (RM5.7mil) 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.

Following a workshop at the Innovation Hub here in 2018, a shortlist of 72 recommendations were put forward; all of which would address the everyday challenges faced by young wheelchair users.

The project team enlisted experts from Curtiss Wright, Somo Global and Aergo to work with Frazer-Nash Consultancy and Edinburgh University to turn the project from a dream into a reality and the DREAM wheelchair prototype was launched in December 2020.

The success of the DREAM wheelchair prototype has enabled further funding to be secured from Duchenne UK and Motability Operations to examine the feasibility of bringing the chair to market, and a range of design and engineering reviews have been commissioned.

Williams Advanced Engineering’s capabilities cover a wide range of disciplines, honed from the ultra-competitive environment of motorsport.

The company provides innovation covering electrification, lightweighting, systems and whole product development, all aided by advanced simulation, rapid prototype manufacturing and testing.