Inventors battle it out with wheelchair that goes up and down steps and phone controlled by winking

Inventors working to improve the lives of people with disabilities are battling it out in a Dragons’ Den style global competition.

Entries for the contest which pushes the boundaries of technology to benefit people with physical or mental disabilities, which have come from as far as Russia and China, have been whittled down to nine.

The winners of the Blackwood Design Awards are set to be announced on 20 January at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre. This year, for the first time, it will be made up of two categories – Best New Product, in which there are four finalists, and Best New Concept, which has five shortlisted entries.

Unspillable spoon

Last year, inventor Grant Douglas saw his S’up Spoon product, an unspillable spoon to aid those with shaky hands due to cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s, win first prize.

He said: “We entered Blackwood’s Design Awards last year as we share its aim to enable disabled people to live as independently as possible through designing accessible products in a way that is pleasing to the eye.

“Over the past nine months, the S’up Spoon has been featured on BBC One’s Songs of Praise. We’ve also donated 10 spoons to a voluntary organisation that helps disabled people in South Africa and it now has packaging so it can be sold in shops and is currently on sale via Amazon.

“Having won the competition, it is fantastic to know that our product is now revolutionising mealtimes for people around the world and we wish all those shortlisted this year the very best of luck. Take it from us – it truly is an incredible opportunity.”

Shortlisted entries

This year, the shortlisted entries include a brace for people who have either a weakness in the knee or an injury that impairs their ability to stand/walk independently and a FRIEASEL, which is a manoeuvrable canvas that can be adjusted so someone with severe disabilities can paint independently, which could have hugely therapeutic benefits.

Other contenders are a set of light-weight glasses for computer users who do not have the use of their arms. It remotely links to the computer and the mouth piece serves as a mouse. Biting down on it acts as a click. There is also a wheelchair that can go up and down steps and pavement edges as well as go up to cupboards and a phone you can control by winking.

Prize

The winner will receive a cash prize of £2,000 from sponsor Kingdom Gas, and backing from Blackwood to make their creative design into a working reality.

Colin Foskett, head of Innovation at Blackwood, says this year’s move to two categories will double the chances to identify and champion breakthroughs that improve life for those with disabilities.

He said: “We’ve been delighted with the way the annual awards have caught the imagination and developed into an important way to bring through genuinely revolutionary products.

“By having the additional category for this year’s competition, we are aiming to support, and promote even more new design talent. Some of the products we have previously seen have benefited the lives of so many people and the designs by this year’s nine shortlisted finalists are no different.

“At Blackwood, our aim is to enable our customers to live their life to the full and by investing in future technologies and equipment we believe we are successfully able to do this.

“Many previous entrants have gone on to achieve great things so we wish all our finalists the best of luck for this year.”

Edinburgh-based charity, Blackwood, helps those who are disabled, elderly or with sensory impairments to live more independently. To find out more go to https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk

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