He calls the second “historic.” » For his firm in fact, however above all for the customers whose lives he needs to simplify. Since April 28, wheelchair braking system developed by the Lille start-up EPPUR is totally reimbursed by Social Safety. “Braking in a wheelchair is not an possibility, nor a gadget, however a necessity,” rejoices Colin Gallois, co-founder of the corporate. Launched available on the market at first of 2023, their answer, “distinctive on the earth”, goals to facilitate mobility people in wheelchairs permitting them to brake easily and with out messing up their palms.
As a result of as stunning as it might appear, till now there was no braking system on guide wheelchairs, aside from the hand brake which permits it to be blocked. To decelerate their motion, cease their wheelchair and even flip, customers had no different alternative than to dam the wheels with their palms, inflicting burns and ache.
A pair of wheels offered for two,000 euros to this point
To cease this ordeal, Colin Gallois and his associates have been impressed by Dutch bicycles to think about a back-pedaling braking system. Marketed underneath the Dreeft model, their pair of wheels clips simply onto any chair. “The braking system is built-in into the means linked to the wheel,” explains the younger engineer. To activate it, the person solely has to tug the handrail barely backwards. »
An ingenious answer, topped with the best distinction at the Lépine competition in 2023, which permits “to get rid of all friction on the degree of the palms and to divide the efforts by 5 on the degree of the arms”, assures Colin Gallois. Since its advertising and marketing, the product has already attracted round 700 customers in France and overseas. However the pair of wheels being offered for two,000 euros, it remained inaccessible for a big majority of individuals in wheelchairs.
A acknowledged innovation of public well being curiosity
After 4 years of medical research, the Excessive Authority for Well being has lastly acknowledged the general public well being good thing about the innovation, thus paving the best way for its 100% protection. by Social Security. “It will make this braking system accessible to everybody and increase gross sales,” estimates Colin Gallois. In any case in France initially, however it’s as much as us to additionally carry the brakes overseas. »
With 65 million wheelchair customers worldwide, together with 400,000 in France alone, the younger firm sees promising prospects.
