Objective More than a third of all severe and major injuries reported each year to EU health authorities around 525 000 are caused by manual handling. In particular healthcare workers are under extreme risk mainly due to patient handling and the growing obesity problem 400 000 new cases pain Europe. This represents an approximated cost of 105M p a to the health services around Europe. This proposal will develop a new concept of patient handling featuring a fully collapsible lightweight trolley that operates on inflatable structures specially integrated with a plastic frame to provide a pneumatic suspension system. The trolley will operate on lifting cushions made of advanced polyurethane coated nylon fabric, which use air power to lift the patient from the totally flat position to the required height. It will be able to adjust ergonomically to the patient which is particularly important in spine and head injuries.It will be cheaper than current market leaders mainly Ferno and Stryker both in the USA and will be the only one providing a safe working environment for healthcare staff without the risk of back injuries. However the market leaders and new manufacturers in India and China are coming up with power- assisted trolleys that may become fully collapsible in the near future. As European SMEs we urgently need to benefit from this opportunity in the patient handling market before our competitors do. However the only way we can overcome the scientific and technological obstacles inherent to our innovation is through a cooperative partnership involving Research and Development institutions.Our innovations in advanced light weight thin textile laminates rapid inflation and deflation systems and innovative industrial design will enable us to achieve our goals Therefore there is a clear opportunity to introduce an innovative patient handling solution that provides a no lifting environment targeting a global market worth 441M p.a. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencespolyurethaneengineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextilesmedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionobesity Programme(s) FP6-SME - Horizontal research activities involving SMEs: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) SME-1 - Co-operative Research (all areas of science and technology) Call for proposal FP6-2004-SME-COOP See other projects for this call Funding Scheme Cooperative - SMEs-Co-operative research contracts Coordinator MANGAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Address Presteigne industrial estate Presteigne United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ATI PROFIIL OU Estonia EU contribution € 0,00 Address Tallinna mnt 23a Haapsalu See on map Links Website Opens in new window D'APPOLONIA SPA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via san nazaro 19 Genova See on map Links Website Opens in new window EREZ THERMOPLASTIC PRODUCTS Israel EU contribution € 0,00 Address Kibbutz erez M.p. ashquelon coast See on map EVAC+CHAIR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Paraid house, weston lane, tyseley Birmingham, west midlands See on map Links Website Opens in new window FIRE EATER A/S Denmark EU contribution € 0,00 Address Volundsvej 17 Hillerod See on map Links Website Opens in new window PERA INNOVATION LIMITED United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Pera innovation park Melton mowbray See on map Links Website Opens in new window SURREY AMBULANCE SERVICE NHS TRUST United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address The horseshoe, bolters lane Banstead surrey See on map Links Website Opens in new window TOLERIE INDUSTRIELLE DE BREZOLLES S.A.S France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Zone industrielle Brezolles See on map
