Design offers world's poor a leg-up

Christopher Metcalfe with the World Crutch. Picture / Martin Sykes

What do you get when you cross two small plastic handles, a bamboo pole and an Auckland design student with a vision of helping millions of leg-injury victims in Third World countries? A ground-breaking design called the World Crutch.

The device has two adjustable plastic handles which lock on to a bamboo pole, instantly providing crutches for those who cannot afford standard ones.

Mt Albert designer Christopher Metcalfe hopes his invention will revolutionise the lives of millions of people in desperate need.

"My goal is to make the biggest difference to the highest number of leg-injury victims by designing a walking aid which can be supplied at minimal or no cost," said Mr Metcalfe, who is in his final year of a bachelor of product design course at Unitec.

His invention has made it to the finals of the sixth annual Dyson Product Design Award, with three others. The winner is to be announced tonight. The award recognises products that best demonstrate innovative solutions to everyday problems.

Te Awamutu-born Mr Metcalfe spent about 400 hours working on the design, which he said had huge humanitarian potential.

Bamboo is an abundant natural resource in many poor countries, making it an ideal material, he said.

"Winning this would mean the world to me and help lots of people."

He came up with the idea after being set a class project to design a product for people with lower-leg injuries.

He said millions of people worldwide lived with disabilities due to poverty-related diseases. "Most are poor and have little or no access to basic services, including rehabilitation facilities such as crutches."

But Mr Metcalfe is not thinking of profit if his design is manufactured.

"It's potentially suitable for sponsorship and distribution by charitable organisations around the world."

The plastic handles would cost between $1.30 and $1.70 each to manufacture.

The other finalists are John Lee from Christchurch, who designed a wireless medicine-dispensing unit for hospitals which minimises medication errors; Matt Backler from Tauranga, who designed a tubeless intravenous drip for people recovering from illness; and David Gatfield of Wellington, who designed a detachable backpack which can be instantly released in dangerous situations.

The award attracted 25 entries this year and is open to final-year tertiary students studying design, technology or engineering and to graduates in these areas who are in their first five years of working.

The winner's prize includes being named a British Council New Zealand Design Ambassador and travelling to Britain with $3000 travelling expenses to meet key designers.

The winner will also gain entry into the James Dyson Award, Dyson's global design award.