With some innovative creations, Andy Smith is making his world more accessible and convenient
With 48 years spent in a power wheelchair, Andy Smith is well versed in the limits that societal barriers create. Yet rather than accept these limit, he has innovated several creative solutions to overcome barriers, but also make his life more comfortable. We chatted to him to learn more about what he has created.
Roving wheels
A power wheelchair made it impossible for Andy to get onto the beach. He shares: “I had to be pulled backwards in a manual chair and, once on the beach, I would just have to sit in one place as it was not possible to move.”
He finally decided to take action! He spent four years designing different attachments that would fit on his wheelchair. He wanted it to be fitted within minutes without getting out of his chair. It had to be light enough so that someone with little upper body strength could also lift and attach it. Finally, it had to be affordable.
“After trying various forms of tracks and wheel extensions with a mechanical engineer, Drikus Joubert, we eventually got this right. I call the attachment ‘Roving Wheels’ and have made one for myself and for two other quadriplegics. They are both extremely ecstatic with the attachments and enjoy the freedom of being able to go on the beach and move on their own,” he shares.
The attachment forms part of a “beach kit” with a jack and balloon wheels – or golf cart/ lawn mower wheels for heavy chairs. You replace the rear wheels of your chair with balloon wheels that have been modified for your chair with a third, swivel balloon wheel attached to the front of the chair.
The third wheel requires a custom bracket, which unfortunately pushes up the price. Making a new, custom attachment will cost around R26 000.
“I have also made up a prototype frame with three balloon wheels. You can attach any manual wheelchair onto the frame to be pushed around on the beach. This will cost around R20 000,” Andy shares.
“An unexpected bonus of the front balloon wheel is that when fitted on its own without the rear balloon wheels, it transforms your wheelchair into an amazing off-road chair. I have been over trails with rocks and roots and small wash aways with ease,” he adds.
WASUP
Another innovation that has made Andy’s life more convenient is his phone charger that plugs into his wheelchair!
“I use my phone a lot and it would often go flat on me, and then I would have to put it on charge somewhere. I thought: ‘I have a huge amount of power in my wheelchair batteries. How can I use it to charge my phone?’,” he shares.
With his 3D printer, help from his wife and some innovation, he built a USB charger that connects to the charging point of a power wheelchair.
“So, the Wheelchair and Scooter USB Port (WASUP) was born. The WASUP has other uses than just charging a cell phone. In summer, I plug in a fan to cool me off,” he shares. He is selling these chargers for R450.
Snuggazza
To stay warm in the winter, Andy designed a blanket with heating pads that covers his entire chair. He shares: “I have a double layered polar fleece blanket with hood. It covers me and the wheelchair. It has been made with five USB powered heating pads and this plugs into the WASUP and keeps me warm even on the coldest of days.”
Ramping to access
Andy has even designed his own light-weight ramp made from carbon fibre. He notes: “At 600g each side, a wheelchair of 250 kilograms can use it easily to go up a step. I always have at least two sets of ramps in my car.”
“This opens up so many places for me as most inaccessible places have just one step and my ramp makes it easily accessible. The world is never going to be 100 percent wheelchair friendly, so my ramps help me to get closer to that,” he concludes.
For more information or to purchase any of his innovations, contact Andy at 082 494 9745.
