A Scottish innovator who vowed to “revolutionise the wheelchair” as a teenager has won one million dollars to make his dream a reality.
Andrew Slorance, 51, from Nairn, Scotland, saw off competition from the US, Japan and Italy to win Toyota’s Mobility Unlimited Challenge with his Phoenix i wheelchair.
The intelligent chair automatically adjusts its centre of gravity to ensure the user can be agile and stable at the same time.
The competition, from the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Nesta Challenges, was launched in 2017 in an effort to encourage innovation in assistive technologies for those with lower-limb paralysis.
Efforts from other finalists included a smart wearable simulator that uses artificial intelligence to support muscles at the right time, while exoskeleton technology was exhibited in a number of entries.