- Title: 3D-printed wheelchair tailor-made for the perfect fit
- Date: 25th May 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND UK (MAY 24, 2016) (REUTERS) 3D PRINTED WHEELCHAIR DESIGNER BENJAMIN HUBERT TELLING ASSOCIATE ABOUT THE CHAIR CLOSE OF HUBERT CLOSE OF 3D PRINTED SEAT OF WHEELCHAIR (SOUNDBITE) (English) BENJAMIN HUBERT, INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER, SAYING: "Currently wheelchairs are obviously heavily stigmatised; they're very mechanical, they're seen as medical devices. And you speak to any wheelchair user and some of the things that come out that are really powerful and move you are; this is an extension of their body. It isn't just a medical tool. It is a necessity, but it's so heavily integrated in their lives that we really think it needs to express that and the physicality of it really needs to be that sinuous, flowing sense of movement that's really joined up to the way the body looks and feels." MORE OF HUBERT TALKING ABOUT WHEELCHAIR AND POINTING OUT DETAILS
- Embargoed: 9th June 2016 16:48
- Keywords: 3D printing 3D-printing wheelchair Clerkenwell Design Week design biometric 3D-printed wheelchair
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND UK / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND UK / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVA0024JB5HSR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The working prototype of a 3D printed consumer wheelchair has been unveiled in London by industrial designer Benjamin Hubert.
The chair has two 3D-printed elements - the seat and the foot bay - which are tailor-made to the user's body shape. By mapping each user's biometric information, every chair is customised to the individual's requirements.
Called GO, the wheelchair accurately fits the individual's body shape, weight and disability. This reduces the risk of injury but increases flexibility and support.
"Currently wheelchairs are obviously heavily stigmatised; they're very mechanical, they're seen as medical devices. And you speak to any wheelchair user and some of the things that come out that are really powerful and move you are; this is an extension of their body. It isn't just a medical tool," Hubert told Reuters.
The 3D-printed wheelchair is the first project under the new research division of Hubert's industrial design company Layer, which worked in collaboration with 3D-printing specialists Materialise. It was developed over two years and with the input of dozens of wheelchair users and medical professionals.
The wheelchair is customised to the user's specifications; including backrest height and angle, and seat length, angle and width. The curvature of the seat is also bespoke, meaning the user remains secure and comfortable. The seat section is built from high-impact resin with integrated 3D-printed suspension.
"You can create super-complex forms and constructions that give you a lot of benefits. So we're layering different materials together to get integrated dampening suspension in the seat, which is both lighter and more cost effective than putting big suspension systems in the framework," said Hubert.
If the device makes it to market, the plan is to have an accompanying smartphone app that allows users to choose optional elements and colours.
Hubert's team also devised a new type of glove to accompany the GO wheelchair. Feedback from wheelchair users found that a primary cause of discomfort was the strain involved in self-propelling. The GO glove increases the level of grip between a rider's hands and the wheelchair's push rims, helping the user get greater efficiency and power from each push.
The GO wheelchair made its debut at the Clerkenwell Design Week in London on Tuesday (May 24). Hubert said he's already been contacted by established wheelchair manufacturers about how the technology could be integrated into their business.
Hubert hopes the prototype design will change the perception of wheelchairs as medical devices and create a more human-centred vehicle.
"Essentially the wheelchair is an extension of the human body, and that's how it needs to be thought about," he said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None