KEY POINTS:
A group of engineering students yesterday got a chance to see the utter delight their latest creation has given many of Auckland's cerebral palsy children.
The four Auckland University students donated their device - a wheeled, motorised platform for teaching cerebral palsy children how to drive electric wheelchairs - to the Carlson School for Cerebral Palsy in Epsom.
The platform's first driver, Auckland 4-year-old Hayley Martin, experienced the new sensation of driving her own wheelchair with a face full of joy.
Her reaction gave great reward to those involved in the university-funded project, said supervisor and Auckland University senior lecturer Dr Doug Wilson.
"Seeing her face light up the first time she started to move was incredible."
His delight was shared by the students who had created the platform as part of the university's Engineering Projects in Community Service programme. This requires fourth-year engineering students to design and build something that will stretch their skills while benefiting the community, Dr Wilson said.
Carlson assistant principal Chrissy MacDonald said the school was "chuffed" to receive the gift.
The platform was an important step forward for the children, because practising on it could improve their chances of qualifying for their own, government-funded mechanised wheelchair.
To qualify, children must prove they can drive the chairs, but are usually given only days to practise.
This device enables any child's wheelchair to be rolled on to the platform, and effectively transforms into a mechanised chair - complete with driver controls - meaning they can learn to drive the chairs far in advance of being tested.
Dr Wilson said there had been commercial interest in the invention, and the university was considering applying for a patent.
