- Title: Students design solar-powered car to help Egypt's disabled
- Date: 31st July 2017
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS) STUDENTS SITTING AT TABLE TALKING AND WORKING TWO STUDENTS SEATED WITH LAPTOP LAPTOP SCREEN SHOWING SOLAR CAR SOLAR CAR ON DISPLAY LOGOS ON CAR READING (English): 'MISR EL-KHEIR FOUNDATION' AND 'GESR' MEN SEATED / CAR SOLAR PANEL ROOF VARIOUS OF STUDENTS WORKING ON CAR MAN SEATED IN CAR HOLDING REMOTE CONTROL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEAM LEADER, AHMED ADEL LABIB, SAYING: "At the beginning of the year, we were doing a project that would help the disabled. So, we started to look at what's available on the market and what the country is doing for them and we found that there are electric wheelchairs or manual wheelchairs. But these chairs don't allow people to go long distances; you cannot use them to go from Masr El Gedida to Nasr City or from Nasr City to Maadi. They cannot cross long distances. So, we decided to make them a three-wheeled car. They can go long distances with it. They would not need anybody to help them drive it or to stop it and if they need to stop it there is an emergency system that they can work manually. Its speed reaches 55 kilometres per hour, this is a very good speed in Egypt especially." CAR EXITING WORKSHOP AREA STREET FILMED FROM CAR INTERIOR AS DRIVING ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS ROAD WHEEL OF CAR IN MOTION VARIOUS OF CAR ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUS ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT AND TEAM MEMBER, GHOFRAN SAYYED, SAYING: "Of course, we told them it's for disabled people. These people are unable to move, they only have the option between a normal chair and a manual wheelchair and their speed is very slow. They are not able to interact with society, it's a struggle that they face that might affect them because they cannot interact with society. You have to make something like this so they can go to their jobs or other places far away for errands. When a vehicle like this is made, that goes at a reasonable speed which can be on the road with other cars and tuk tuks and that's a good thing for them. It breaks their emotional barrier and at the same time, they are given the chance to be part of the community and they lose the internal disability that they may have." TEAM MEMBER, MOHAMED MAMDOUH TEST DRIVING CAR VARIOUS OF CAR INTERIOR AS THE VEHICLE MOVES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEAM MEMBER, MOHAMED MAMDOUH, SAYING: "We made something that he can use personally and he can control it easily. Everything can be done by hand. There is an emergency system that he can use to manoeuvre if the electricity goes out or if anything happens to the battery. He would be able to park the vehicle in the nearest place and will be able to call someone and we can come and fix it." VARIOUS OF CAR ON THE ROAD INTERIOR OF WORKSHOP WITH SOME TEAM MEMBERS FIXING CAR AND OTHERS ON LAPTOP TWO TEAM MEMBERS ON LAPTOP CAR IN WORKSHOP TEAM LEADER, AHMED LABIB, ADJUSTING WHEEL OF CAR VARIOUS OF MEN FIXING CAR MEN FIXING CAR SEEN IN CAR MIRROR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEAM MEMBER, MOHAMED REDA, SAYING: "Of course, in the next step, God willing, we will try to make modifications so that it can be better. And we will correct the mistakes we made before. In terms of design we hope to make some changes in it to make it usable for all people not just the disabled." TEAM WORKING ON TABLE BEHIND CAR ON DISPLAY WRITING ON CAR READING (English): "DISABLE POWER TRIKE"
- Embargoed: 14th August 2017 11:38
- Keywords: Helwan University in Cairo Egyptian students solar-powered car mechanical engineering students transport for disabled
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Science
- Reuters ID: LVA0016S1Q6HH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A group of mechanical engineering students have come up with a concept to help those with disabilities navigate their way around the bustling streets of Cairo.
Tapping into a gap in the market, the team of students from Cairo's Helwan University have developed a solar-powered motorized vehicle that enables disabled people to travel long distances without any assistance.
"We started to look at what's available on the market and what the country is doing for them and we found that there are electric wheelchairs or manual wheelchairs. But these chairs don't allow people to go long distances; you cannot use them to go from Masr El Gedida to Nasr City or from Nasr City to Maadi. They cannot cross long distances. So, we decided to make them a three-wheeled car. They can go long distances with it. They would not need anybody to help them drive it or to stop it and if they need to stop it there is an emergency system that they can work manually. Its speed reaches 55 kilometres per hour, this is a very good speed in Egypt especially." explained the project's team leader, Ahmed Adel Labib.
Out on the road, one of the students demonstrates how the motorised vehicle works.
The car is operated by remote control and the students were keen to keep the running costs of the vehicle low, so they've installed solar panels on the roof to charge the battery-powered motor.
The students say the three-wheeled car will also empower the country's disabled, giving them a sense of independence.
"These people are unable to move, they only have the option between a normal chair and a manual wheelchair and their speed is very slow. They are not able to interact with society, it's a struggle that they face that might affect them because they cannot interact with society. You have to make something like this so they can go to their jobs or other places far away for errands," explained student and team member, Ghofran Sayyed.
The three-wheeled car is also equipped with an emergency system to help the driver in the event of a technical fault.
The students have received funding and support from a number of sponsors and foundations, raising 28,000 Egyptian pounds, more than $1500 USD, to finish building their prototype.
For now, the young engineers are focusing their efforts on perfecting their project before turning their attention to raising more capital so as to make their product fit for mass purpose. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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