Innovative trio design standing wheelchair (+video)

APPLIED TECHNOLOGY: Accountant Allan Jeffs (seated) with engineers and designers Kim Long and Dave Howes. PHOTOS/STEPHEN PARKER

Three Rotorua men are hoping their new electric wheelchair design will halve the cost of similar chairs and bring more freedom to people all over the world.

They say the technology applied to their prototype stand-up wheelchair design is like nothing on the market and will revolutionise future wheelchair designs.

Known as Erik, the wheelchair moves from a seated position to an upright position at the push of a button.

They said it would help people confined to a wheelchair be able to cook in a normal kitchen and move around with ease in both positions. The chair is still in its prototype phase and they are looking for help with capital to properly market the new design.

Accountant Allan Jeffs said he got behind the project when he was shown the design by his client, design engineer Kim Long.

"I thought it was a very good idea. My wife is a physio and said standing up was very good for circulation."

Mr Long has been working on the prototype with mechanical engineer Dave Howes for about three years. Mr Howes said new stand-up electric wheelchairs could cost up to $25,000 and their modular design could be produced for less than half that price with current technology.

Mr Long said watching his elderly mother trying to get around the house and live a normal life prompted him to continue with the project.

"Simply making a cup of coffee would take her half an hour. I almost gave it all away until I really analysed the problems."

Without giving away the key to the new design, Mr Long said they believed it was totally unique and could halve the cost of similar wheelchairs already on the market. Erik can operate both indoors and outdoors and on rough ground but not on soft outdoor surfaces-yet.

"Because it's modular we can adapt it to any person," Mr Long said.

"It amazes me there's nothing out there like this, and we are doing something good for people too. "It takes a lot of time and effort to get to this point, now we are at the stage we need further funding to perfect the design and market it around the world."