The wheelchair meeting the needs of 21st century children

The projects aim was to develop a wheelchair for disabled young people using the latest technology available that they will be proud of, that will grow with them and harness technology improving their daily life and life chances.

The project has the potential to positively change the lives of  users in Great Britain, allowing them to have a fun, inclusive future like any other child.

In April 2019, wheelchair users up to the age of 25 were asked to draw or write about their dream wheelchair and the competition  reached out to 27,000 schools across the UK. In December 2020, the project was turned from a dream into a reality, as the DREAM wheelchair prototype was successfully launched.

Fast forward two years, after the success of the DREAM wheelchair prototype, further funding was secured from Duchenne UK and Motability Operations.

In October 2021, Whizz-Kidz  secured the support of Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) to review their prototype design as part of a feasibility study to establish how it could be brought to the market..

Whizz-Kidz is a national charity, who have been in existence for 30 years. Its aim is to transform the lives of disabled young people across the UK, providing the support to become confident and independent adults. The DREAM wheelchair project therefore aligns with its values in providing young people with equal opportunities and the hope for an independent future.

Whizz-Kidz looked at the technology available in current wheelchairs and products where it could be adopted. From this research, it identified 72 features that wheelchairs of the future could have. This 72 was condensed down to 12 required features that would make a difference to wheelchair users on a daily basis.

Frank Robertson, Project Manager of the DREAM wheelchair project at Whizz-Kidz used the analogy of a mobile phone to look at the lack of development of technology used in wheelchairs. "Looking at where mobile phones were 20 years ago, they could make telephone calls, text and if you were lucky you could play snake. Fast forward twenty years and they have developed into a pocket computer that’s also a multi media device and a camera, however todays powered wheelchairs still look like and have the same features they had 20 years ago," he said.

Whizz-Kidz and Duchenne UK knew they were committed to the project, and after developing the concept and design, knew that having fresh eyes on the project before it went into production would be beneficial.

WAE was approached by Whizz-Kidz to review the DREAM wheelchair and suggest ways in which it could be enhanced. Being aware of the abundance of wheelchairs available on the market but the lack of issues they solve, WAE has used its experience in tailoring its product specifically to the needs of the individual. WAE will ensure the individual needs of the user are the focus of both the design and manufacture of the wheelchair. It has worked on a series of projects, including Babypod, a lightweight incubator for transporting critically ill babies. The company therefore holds knowledge of the healthcare industry and used this to its advantage.

In this instance, WAE is suggesting new and modified features to further improve the prototype. Ollie Guild, Senior Product Designer at WAE commented: “As a product designer, my side tends to be quite human focused. I really enjoy the aspect of working close with the ideal customer.

“It’s important in these projects that they [the customer] are with us throughout the process, the amendments we make need to matter and benefit them.

“The projects we work on in this area aren’t just about facts, they are about feelings.”

 A key aspect of the project is that it has been designed by young people, for young people. It has aspects to specifically appeal to them, so they feel as if their wheelchair is not just great in a practical sense, but is personal to them, and cool. As an example, the colour scheme is inspired by a Bugatti Chiron, the chair has LED lightsand speakers to customise the wheelchair, and it even has a docking station for their phone. These featurees were developed by Frazer Nash Consulting.

The whole programme is about making technology engaging and relevant. The hope for the future is to have these advanced wheelchairs available at a price that is affordable to everyone and when people look at someone in the wheelchair they will admire it’s futuristic appearance and want to know more about it, not pity them because they are a wheelchair user.

“This wheelchair and its added features will make the world of difference to these young children, its all about understanding the world from their perspective and understanding their requirements.”.

“WAE is aware that one size never really fits all. Seeing young wheelchair users happy and proud to be in it is amazing,” concluded Guild.