NOCAR_GO

الوظيفة التي يقوم بها

NOCAR_GO enables people in wheelchairs to transport everyday items such as shopping or personal belongings. This is made possible by intuitively accessible cargo boxes that are integrated underneath the seat shell.

مصدر إلهامك

People who are dependent on a wheelchair are often unable to transport things such as shopping or personal items independently. They usually use a daypack which is hung on the backrest of the wheelchair. However, this makes it unhandy to use. It is also out of the person‘s field of vision and therefore not always protected against theft. Furthermore, wheelchairs often have a very constructive and technical appearance. They are reduced to the pure function of an aid and do not give people the appreciation they deserve. This creates the risk of stigmatization.

كيفية العمل

The core of NOCAR_GO are the cargo boxes integrated under the seat shell. These are made possible by a hubless drive. This means that the wheels of the wheelchair are driven decentrally. Spokes and the classic wheel hub are thus replaced. This generates space inside the wheels for the cargo boxes. Each of them has a volume of 30 liters and offers space for transporting shopping or everyday items. The boxes are opened by the user via a push-to-open system. NOCAR_GO also dispenses with the front wheels of a classic wheelchair. Instead, the technical principle of a Segway has been adapted. On the one hand, this makes the silhouette sportier and therefore less stigmatizing. On the other hand, it makes NOCAR_GO more mobile and agile. Kerbs and uneven passages can be overcome more easily. This also actively supports the physical condition of the person sitting in the wheelchair.

عملية التصميم

From the very beginning, the focus of the design process was on the person sitting in the wheelchair. As part of this human-centered design process, the person forms both a functional and a formal unit with the wheelchair. The target group of NOCAR_GO are people who are still mobile in their upper body despite their disability. For example, people who are paralyzed below the hip or who can no longer walk independently due to missing legs. This group of people was integrated into the design process right from the start. Their needs were asked about in interviews and incorporated into the development process. These people thus acted as co-designers in the design process. Ergonomic issues were also important aspects of the design. How can the cargo box be used and where is it integrated into the wheelchair? The boxes integrated under the seat shell are the result of collaboration with the aforementioned target group. Initially, the box was not yet fully integrated. This changed in the course of the design process, when the classic drive was dropped in favor of the hubless wheels. The result is the complete technical, formal and ergonomic integration of the transport solution into the overall design of NOCAR_GO.

ما الذي يميُّز تصميمك؟

The existing solutions on the market for wheelchair users to transport shopping or personal items are only add-on products. These include daypacks on the one hand, and trailer solutions on the other, which are usually attached in front of the wheelchair. However, they are difficult for the person themselves to reach. In addition, the agility and compactness of the wheelchair are significantly affected. As a result, it is no longer possible to travel on buses and trains or to be mobile indoors. NOCAR_GO creates an alternative to these existing solutions. The cargo boxes are technically and formally integrated into the wheelchair‘s wheel areas. They are easily accessible from a seated position and offer sufficient volume for shopping. The center of gravity is centrally located under the person and the Segway technology reduces the wheelchair to one axle. This makes NOCAR_GO more compact and agile than conventional wheelchairs.

الخطط المستقبلية

The goal is to realize a first drivable prototype. Discussions are currently underway with the target group and with vehicle technology engineers in order to further develop the existing design. In the long term, I can imagine turning NOCAR_GO into a start-up project if a prototype is successfully realized. After consultation with the target group, an initial market analysis and a calculation of possible costs, there is a clear potential for NOCAR_GO.

الجوائز