Loopwheels in shortlist for Designs of the Year

A list of 76 projects nominated for Designs of the Year 2015 has been released, which includes a system designed to give wheelchair users a smoother ride. The wheels include built-in suspension and have loops made from carbon composite material, rather than conventional spokes.

The winner of the award will be announced in June, and all finalists’ details are currently on show at London’s Design Museum. Visitors can come along and view what geniuses have been up to over the last twelve months, and also get a close-up look at the loopwheels. The innovative product is likely to change the lives of many who rely on wheelchairs on a daily basis, alongside home adaptations such as walk in baths and showers.

‘Re-inventing the wheel’

Loopwheels were designed by Sam Pearce and Jelly Products, who are delighted to be nominated in the prestigious awards. Featuring in the transport category, the loopwheels will compete against inventions such as the air-bag system for motorbike crashes, the i8 eco-friendly sports car, and the MOTIV.e City Car.

The wheelchair-sized loopwheels were launched last month in 24” and 25” diameters, and are designed to help disabled people push over uneven streets, rough tracks and grass with much less effort. The carbon springs also help to give added power when getting up and down pavement kerbs. The loopwheels also boast very little maintenance and have quick-release axles, which means they fit on most active wheelchairs.

The company also produces loopwheels for commuter bikes and trikes, in order to provide suspension to products that don’t usually offer this in order to be lightweight. The project was initially helped with the aid of the website kickstarter.com, where 173 backers pledged over £60,000 to help the company come to life. Aside from this, the wheelchair project has currently raised almost £20,000, with the backing of more than 190 people.

Image Credit: Serge Saint (Flickr.com)