Update (22 Dec 2020): The wheely team clinched 1st place in the 14th International i-CREATe's Global Student Innovation Challenge! We were featured on NUS Engineering page.

 

We partnered with the Ester team in Singapore General Hospital (SGH) to develop a wheelchair that could provide wheelchair users with more freedom.

They explained to us that a significant number of elderlies do not turn up for their appointments when it is raining. This is a significant problem as Singapore has an average of 167 days of high rainfall, and 28% of our population will be aged 65 and above by 2030.

“During rain, patients are deterred to go for their appointment” - SGH

After multiple iterations and interviews with patients, caregivers, and our stakeholders, we designed a wheelchair add-on that would be able to protect users, caregivers from both the rain and the sun. Our innovative design also allows the wheelchair and the shelter add-on to be easily stowed away.

It was a fulfilling project and the Ester team was very impressed with our work! They even treated us to dinner! We are currently in discussion for SGH to adopt the design in their hospitals.