Kiwi ingenuity in clip-on design

A Bay of Plenty man has used his Kiwi ingenuity to invent a new occupational tool that aims to give disabled people a better quality of life.
Dave Paul, from Highlander Manufacturing, has developed a self-contained bathroom unit that will allow those who are physically challenged the ability to clean themselves and go to the toilet unaided.
The stand-alone unit, called Port-ability, can connect to any home and will reduce the need for home renovations during the rehabilitation and recovery process, potentially saving the Government thousands of dollars.
It has taken Mr Paul about two years to develop the 8.16sq m unit, which will be officially launched tomorrow.
Minister of Health Tony Ryall has shown significant interest in the unit and he will meet with Mr Paul at the launch to discuss the future of the revolutionary occupational tool.
But Mr Paul is not motivated by money - his heart lies with the well-being of those who have suffered an accident or injury, leaving them wheelchair-bound.
"It will give people back their independence and more self worth because they will be less reliant on others," he said.
"They will be able to look after themselves and get their dignity back."
Mr Paul came up with the idea about two years ago after seeing his uncle wait eight months for home renovations after he had a stroke, which forced him into a wheelchair.
"For eight months he was dependent on someone to clean him, give him sponge baths and help him go to the toilet ... ," Mr Paul said.
So he decided to do something about it.
He approached his work colleague, who immediately jumped on the bandwagon, they drew up some plans and the idea soon began to take shape.
Throughout the planning and building process, they were meticulous about keeping within the strict guidelines of building consents.
"This is a big investment for us so we wanted to make sure we were doing everything correctly to make sure it all complied."
The units are 2.4m wide x 3.4m long and have been made from insulation panels.
The unit cost close to $20,000 to make, however, Mr Paul said the units were cost-effective as they were portable and can be relocated and reused.
"Once someone has become rehabilitated enough that they can use their own facilities, the bathroom unit can be unclipped and given to someone else," he said.
Specific details of how much each unit will cost are yet to be answered, as it is unclear whether the units will be bought by the Ministry of Health or leased off Mr Paul Each unit is expected to last at least 20 years.
From the launch, the prototype will head to Palmerston North with the group Enable where it will get tested and evaluated. After this, the unit will head back to Tauranga, where it will be available for someone in the Bay to trial.
Mr Paul said he would not have been able to complete the project without the support of some "very generous people" - John Bloemendal from Alloy Metalworx in Auckland, Jane Wilson, occupational therapist for Bay of Plenty District Health Board, Graham Cox, structural engineer from Tauranga, David Guest from Enable New Zealand and Jack Smith, his uncle and inspiration.
"We've still got a long way to go but this has the potential to help a lot of people and to me, that's the main thing."