Inventor’s stair-climbing wheelchair set to conquer obstacles for Hong Kong’s disabled
Alan Lee has been nominated for an Innovating for Good award in the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, which is run by the South China Morning Post
In late 2010, Alan Lee Siu-lun’s life was changed by a television programme on accessibility in the city. It featured a public bathroom designed for disabled users; yet some steps built outside rendered the space inaccessible for its target users. The product designer thought to himself: “Surely wheelchairs could be made to conquer a few steps?”
He came up with the idea of using multiple pedrails – which resemble small tank tracks – built a miniature model to prove his concept, but then put it away, satisfied that he had solved a puzzle.
Half a year later, a forlorn story about a disabled young man who was trapped at home for years because of stairs in his building made Lee, 48, realise his design could actually be life-changing for many.
He threw his life into his invention and spent the next few years focused on realising the concept for those in need.
His B-Free wheelchair, a nod at being both barrier free and simply to “be free” from life’s limitations, is able to power over small obstacles on the road like a tank, as well as do what it set out to do – climb up and down stairs safely.