Powered platforms for children
6th April 2022
The Redway School is a Milton Keynes school for children and teenagers with physical and learning difficulties. The children often use ‘activity chairs’ (see photo) which support them physically and have an attached tray to allow them to work with activities to enhance motor and cognitive skills. MK Remap was asked if we could help add self-propelled mobility to the ‘activities’ – in other words, could we make some kind of motorised platform that the child could learn to use to propel themselves about the school independently, using simple control buttons – ie ‘Forward’, Backward’, ‘Left’, ‘Right’.

Activity chairs are individual for each child, so the motor platform would have to accommodate all chair sizes up to the largest, and have some means to allow the school teachers to get child and chair onto the platform. There would also need to be some form of safety override, and a separate set of controls for moving the platform around when not under control of the child.
One-handed Brake for Mobility Scooter
27th December 2021
The client had lost the use of one hand. He had purchased a new mobility scooter. However, to operate the parking brake you had to pull the brake lever with one hand and raise a locking plunger with the other hand to hold the brake on.
Non-spill cup carrier
27th December 2021
We are often asked if we can help Clients who are unsteady on their feet (following a stroke, Parkinsons, or simply age related) if we can find some way they can carry drinks and other liquids without spilling them. The cup carrier was devised to offer a simple solution, and several of these have now been made and supplied, with the design slowly being refined….
Device to put on a coat
24th September 2021
Our client suffered from a lack of spinal mobility and has shortened upper arms, so he has difficulty putting a coat on and is unable to get dressed to go out by himself. Some ‘gadget’ was requested to help with this problem
Because of his spinal condition, the client is not very stable on his feet and uses a walking frame to move around in the home, which means that any ‘gadget’ requiring him to put his arms behind his back was not going to work. He has also tried standard dressing aids / dressing sticks but these have not been found useful for him. A potential semi-commercial solution was identified which involved hanging the coat from a pivoting frame hung from a door lintel, but this required him to walk backwards into the coat, which he is unable to do.
Eventually it was found that by hanging the coat over his walking frame with the arms hung over the sides of the frame and the arm holes open at the top, he could stand ‘backwards’ in the frame and put the coat on, provided somebody lifted the coat up his back by the collar or hood. It was therefore decided to devise a device which would replicate this action.
Lifting Cot for Wheelchair user Mum
16th September 2021
The Client is a wheelchair user who also has some limited mobility on her feet. She is unable to bend down. She has a recent baby which currently sleeps in a crib by her bed. As the child grows he will need a cot. However, the Client would not be able to bend over a cot to lift and / or change her baby, even with a drop side cot.
Therefore, she asked if a cot could be modified so that she could get the arms of her wheelchair under it (approx. 900mm from the floor). In order to be useable the cot side would need to open fully, and for safety the cot would need to lower to near floor height (approx. 300mm from the floor) when the child is sleeping or playing in it.
Sudoku set for blind user
16th September 2021
The panel was contacted by the husband of a lady who was a talented pianist and artist before becoming blind in her late 70’s due to Temporal Arteritis. She had enjoyed playing Sudoku so we were asked if we could produce a set for her to use.
Wider Wheelchair Wheels
6th December 2019
Client has a lightweight wheelchair that her partner can lift into the small boot of their car. The narrow wheels, though, are uncomfortable over uneven terrain, such as cobbles. We were asked to fit bigger wheels to make pushing the chair easier and its occupant more comfortable.
Zip fastener assister
30th September 2019
Original brief:
The Client has Parkinson’s disease, with a right hand tremor and very weak left hand. He needed some device which would make it easier to do up the zip on his jacket and other items of clothing fitted with zips.
Initial discussions with the Client ruled out replacing the zip with magnets or Velcro, as this would need to be done to all his zipped clothing. The main issues were 1) holding the left hand side of the zip firmly enough to allow him to insert the mating part in the lower zip ‘slot’, and 2) once the zip was together, holding the left hand part down to keep the zip straight enough to be pulled up without ‘wrinkling’ and jamming.
Phone modification
16th April 2014
The client had severe gripping difficulties, and could not hold a phone properly.
A simple handle was glued to the phone handset so that it could be more easily held.
The client can now use the phone much more easily.
Mounting for communication switches and smart box
14th April 2014
The client has multiple disabilities and uses a ‘smart box’ as a communication aid. His speech has deteriorated and his wife is having difficulty understanding him when they are out of the house. She asked if it would be possible to mount the foot operated switches and smart box on his wheelchair.
A board was produced from MDF with 4 plastic tubes that located over the pins that normally carry the heel supports. The switches were fixed with Velcro so that they can be easily transferred to the foot board when in the house. An aluminium mounting block and boss were manufactured and as the height of the unit had to be adjustable vertically and rotationally, part of a crutch was used for mounting the smart box.
The client was very satisfied with the solution and was able to communicate whilst on holiday.
Mobile phone stand
13th April 2014
The client required a stand for his mobile phone so that he could operate it with his tongue.
An aluminium cradle was produced and mounted on a wooden block for stability. The aluminium was covered with leather to protect the phone from scratching.
The client was very satisfied with the solution.
Height of kitchen equipment
12th April 2014
The client attends a chef’s course at Milton Keynes college. He is 19 and currently 6’ 11″ and still growing. He was having difficulty when working as the surfaces are standard height and needed something to raise the chopping boards etc.
An aluminium support frame was designed and manufactured which would locate and raise his working surface by 275mm. Using aluminium ensured that the frame could be washed down after use.
The client was very satisfied with the solution.
Head pointer for boccia
11th April 2014
The client is an England international boccia player and required a head pointer to enable her to release the ball in certain situations.
The inside of a safety helmet was used as a base. A coach bolt was secured through two aluminium strengthening plates, at the front of the helmet, to which an alumiunim tube was fastened. A brass rod fitted with a v-shaped block of wood was secured in the tube with a split pin. The front area of the head band was padded and wrapped with squash racket handle tape for comfort.
The client is very satisfied with the solution.
Head pointer
11th April 2014
This client’s current head pointer was worn and needed updating.
The plastic inner frame of a safety helmet was used as a base. This was fitted with an aluminum strengthening plate & mounting bolt. A piece of aluminum tubing was taped at one end and screwed onto the bolt, the tubing was then bent to suit the client’s needs. The helmet was finished with padding and wrapping and a chin strap was attached to keep the helmet in place.
The client can use this device to paint, write etc.
Footrest for commode
11th April 2014
The client finds that the footrest on her commode does not support her feet.
A right angled aluminum plate was produced to fit within the existing framework of the chair. A rubber mat was glued to the surface to prevent the client’s feet from slipping.
The client felt safer sitting on the commode as her feet were supported. Her carers could leave her to use the commode knowing she was safer and this enhanced her privacy.