Back in the 1960s, at a factory in Billingham on Teesside, engineer Major Pat Johnson devised a hoist and ramp to enable his wheelchair-bound sister to get out of her house.
In doing the work, it quickly dawned on him that there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of other disabled people across the country who needed equipment designed for them or modified to meet their needs. Johnson went on to found a national charity, Remap, with the aim of giving disabled people greater independence by modifying equipment to meet their needs.
Since it began in the 1960s, Remap has gone from dealing with modifications to engineering bespoke equipment for disabled people with specific needs. Whether it is to give them more independence, or to allow them to enjoy leisure activities that many of us take for granted every day, from swinging a golf club to taking a photograph, Remap plays its part.
With 85 local panels across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Remap’s network of hundreds of dedicated volunteer engineers develop technology to help make what was once impossible, for the disabled person, possible. Each technology that Remap engineers develop is tailor-made and free to the person who needs it, from a bike that allows a one-armed child to cycle with her friends, to a trolley that gives an elderly woman with cerebral palsy the independence to cook food in her own kitchen oven.
“It comes back to one word: independence,” says Professor Fred Maillardet, the vice-chairman of trustees at Remap. “What we are trying to do is apply engineering and technology skills simply to aid people with disabilities, but primarily to give them independence. We know independence is very important for everyone’s self-esteem and everyone’s happiness.”
In the past year Remap has produced nearly 4,000 solutions for disabled people across the country – a figure that the organisation hopes to increase in the future.
The process of developing a product at Remap usually involves volunteers working with occupational therapists, who can identify a specific disabled person’s needs. The occupational therapist first contacts their local Remap panel to explain a client’s disability and what they may need to give them more independence.
The local panel then works with the occupational therapist, looking at what the requirement is in detail and starting to sketch out ideas. A design is then agreed on and the product is engineered.
The optimum design is often brainstormed by the panel, before they come up with a solution. The kinds of things they have to think about include materials, safety, user-friendliness and quality. A single engineer, or group of engineers, will then turn the design into reality by building the product, often at a workshop in their own home, where they have access to the necessary materials and equipment.
Maillardet says: “It is important that the engineer is involved in actually establishing the optimum design. Design can be quite a thought-provoking, long process on occasions because you need to go through various solutions, mentally if not physically, to identify what would work and wouldn’t work.”
One of Remap’s designs that was among the most challenging to produce is a remote camera operating device (pictured left). The device has allowed Lorna Elwick, a woman who has extremely limited movement, to take photos of her family with her camera – something she had always wanted to do, but never thought possible, due to her disability.
Remap engineer Henry Colbert had a serious challenge on his hands when developing the device, which, in the end, took just a few days to produce. Elwick could only move her head around 15° each way and also had the use of just one finger, which she could move half an inch. And there was the challenge of not just giving Elwick the freedom to take photos independently, but to take good snaps too. The camera was based on the concept of the user first pushing a button halfway down to focus it, before pushing it right the way down to take the picture. Colbert had to work out how to do this for Elwick.
Colbert came up with a camera mount comprising a cradle that drops into a swivel base unit to create a gimbal. This effectively meant that the camera could be positioned in any direction.
The camera mount has a large ball-ended operating lever, enabling the camera to be positioned with her chin. A solenoid operates a bellcrank mounted across the top of the camera and depresses the exposure button. Using a CR circuit, capacitor and resistor, the lever has enough power to push the button halfway down to focus the shot. After about a second, the power to the solenoid increases to complete the exposure. The solenoid is activated by a sensitive push button operated by Elwick’s one moving finger.
Colbert says that the project was a real challenge because the design brief contained so many restricting factors. But he says that coming up with the solution gave him immense satisfaction and that he is delighted that his work has given Elwick the ability to take her own photographs.
“I had such a restricted specification because all Lorna had was limited head movement,” says Colbert. “It was just a question of thinking about the problem. I’ve been involved with design all my life and engineering is my first love,” he adds.
Another example of Remap’s impressive technology is a golfing arm developed by engineer Alberto Molena. The device has allowed James Taylor, who was born with a a shortened left arm, and just two fingers for a hand, to play golf for the first time. The device, which took two months to develop, allows him to grip and swing a golf club, using the same technique as used by a golfer with two normal-sized working arms and hands.
When engineering the golfing arm, Molena had the challenge of thinking how to attach the device to Taylor’s arm and make sure the device bent to allow the golf club to swing the necessary distance. He had to make sure that the device wouldn't hurt Taylor’s shoulder and that it didn’t jerk. The device also had to meet approval from his doctors.
The device fits around the end of Taylor’s arm and is held in place by Velcro and a handle, which he can grip with his two fingers. Fitted to the top of the device is an adjustable telescopic attachment, which holds the club handle in place, at the right height and in the most comfortable position. This is attached to a spring and screwed to a ball joint, with a large ball bearing, which allows him to bend the club in whatever direction he needs to.
Molena says: “The spring is very strong which gives you flexibility, without jerking or anything, and allows him to swing right over the top of his shoulder. You get accuracy as well as distance. He can even hit around 230 yards with it now.”
The device also has a quick-release clamp, which allows the golf club to be changed, for instance to a wedge or a putter, during a round of golf. The device has a bracket that can be flicked open to release the club whenever necessary.
The golfing arm has proved a success for Taylor. “We went to the hospital and the consultant came round and said we couldn’t do any better,” says Molena. “James is delighted. I’ve been doing a lot of jobs for disabled people, which make a vast difference to them. But this was the most rewarding job I’ve done.”
Remap often has great feedback from clients like Elwick and Taylor. But the charity is finding it increasingly difficult to get enough volunteers to come forward and participate. It is particularly in need of younger engineers and engineering students.
“The majority of people are retired engineers,” says Maillardet. “I’m keen to try and get a few of the younger generation moving into the organisation.”
Maillardet says joining the organisation allows students to work on real engineering projects and solve pressing problems, which can create a sense of achievement.
“I think it’s wrong that the academic world creates projects when there are natural ones that need solving,” he says. “By giving students real projects, not only does it test them in a real design situation, but it gives them a much better understanding of identifying what the true need is.
“The sense of achievement is quite dramatic with students,” he adds. “You can see students’ eyes being opened when they suddenly realise they can do something useful for society and they can help a person who is disabled.”
Remap has developed a diverse range of devices that have helped to give independence to people with varying levels of disability.
Pushchair control device
This device allows a woman, unable to walk without crutches after suffering meningitis as a child, to take her son out for walks in his pushchair. The device clips to the pushchair handle and is sewn to a belt, enabling the woman to lean into the pushchair and control its direction.
Bicycle adaptation
Developed by Remap’s Cambridge panel, this special bike allows a girl, born without a left forearm, to ride with her friends.
UV screen for toy car
With this screen, a little girl, who has the rare condition xeroderma pigmentosum, can play outside in her toy car without having to wear clothing to protect her from the sun.
Oven transfer trolley
This device allows a woman with mild cerebral palsy to safely take food in and out of her oven. Remap made a trolley with a metal shelf at the level required to enable the woman to slide a casserole dish or tray of cakes onto it from the oven without danger to herself.
Remote-control wheelchair
With this technology, a woman can use a remote-control system to park her wheelchair inside her garage once she is in her car and ready to go out for a drive.
Motorised bowling wheelchair
This wheelchair, adapted by the Bournemouth panel, allows a man who has had leg and back problems since he was 12 to independently enjoy his love of bowling.
If you are keen to get involved with Remap, email Fred Maillardet at f.j.maillardet@brighton.ac.uk. See www.remap.org.uk