A Bath University graduate is to receive a Silver Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering for his all-terrain wheelchair design. The Mountain Trike was the final project of Tim Morgan’s Masters degree in innovation and engineering design.
Mr Morgan, 29, identified the need for an all-terrain wheelchair that would allow users to reach places previously considered unsuitable for wheelchairs, such as beaches and cobbled streets.
His design has won a number of accolades, including ‘best new product’ awards at mobility shows and a five-star rating from Able, the UK’s mobility magazine. Mr Morgan said: “We knew we had something with potential. It has given people who were previously restricted the chance to get out there and enjoy the countryside.”
After graduating in 2007, Mr Morgan worked as a design engineer at Bentley Motor Cars while he secured financial backing for his wheelchair design. He founded the Mountain Trike Co in 2008.
Mr Morgan is already working on new designs that will introduce gears, allowing users to go faster on flat ground, and quick-release wheels to make the chair easier to transport. There will also be a new adaptation for people with higher spinal injuries.