From The Straits Times, 3 Sept 2007, by Judith Tan:
… engineering students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) rose to the challenge, and undertook the task of making a wheelchair built for Asian physiques.
Two groups of students started the initial work in 2005. Then, a third group of third-year students, led by undergraduate Eric Gair, 24, took the previous research forward to make a working model.
They call it the Vorque.
… They had to be not only lightweight and manoeuvrable, but also capable of customisation so each athlete’s needs are met.
Plus, they had to be affordable.
So far, the chairs have got the thumbs-up from the Singapore Disability Sports Council and, hopefully, will make their public debut at the disabled tennis tournament in Singapore at the end of the year.
Some features of the Vorque:
- The seat and footrest can be adjusted to fit the individual user’s specific needs;
- The front wheels can be converted from two to one wheel; and
- The chair has a built-in anti-skid feature.
