Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Elbee (Elbee, a worldwide unique drive-from-wheelchair vehicle)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2017-03-01 al 2017-08-31
Elbee is a revolutionary vehicle that brings increased mobility to the wheelchair users’ lives, for some impossible to gain in another way. Without it, they are unproductive and dependent on help from others. Therefore the Elbee vehicle fills a significant market gap. It grants the disabled confined to a wheelchair a number of technical solutions so even those with a significant degree of disability can be independent in motor transport and that the solution is available to the largest possible number of them.
This innovation brings significant importance for society in creation of equal opportunities for disabled, who will not be dependent on assistance of another person any more. Moreover, thanks to the independence, the wheelchair users are able to establish a relationship, be beneficial for the family, socialize, enjoy sports and live a more active life in general. All that can lead to higher self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as their inclusion in the society.
The overall aim was to establish Elbee as a new standard in road mobility of the seriously disabled wheelchair users. During the implementation of the project, the main objective was drawing up the documentation for implementing the massive entry to the global market based on collection of requirements on product innovation, extension of the legal protection and business plan update.
This innovation brings significant importance for society in creation of equal opportunities for disabled, who will not be dependent on assistance of another person any more. Moreover, thanks to the independence, the wheelchair users are able to establish a relationship, be beneficial for the family, socialize, enjoy sports and live a more active life in general. All that can lead to higher self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as their inclusion in the society.
The overall aim was to establish Elbee as a new standard in road mobility of the seriously disabled wheelchair users. During the implementation of the project, the main objective was drawing up the documentation for implementing the massive entry to the global market based on collection of requirements on product innovation, extension of the legal protection and business plan update.
During the six months implementation of the project, following specific objectives for the feasibility study have been elaborated: At the beginning of the project, Elbee met requirements for TRL 7, small-lot production was under way and the product has already been exported to several countries in order to generate feedback from paying customers. These outputs created the basis for further development based on relevant requirements on product innovation, analysis of the feasibility of selected upgrade requirements and last but not least, to the proposal of the legal protection and verification of freedom to operate. SME Instrument Phase 1 confirmed the feasibility of the project and need to update original business plan was identified. According to the updated business plan, Elbee decided to invest in further research and development of Elbee vehicle and to begin preparation for global expansion. Results of Elbee and latest development has been disseminated within REHACARE trade fair in Dusseldorf in September 2017.
Elbee vehicle has wide societal impact. Many wheelchair users are disadvantaged by the offer situation on the vehicle market. Unlike the healthy, they are often dependent on the assistance of another person and therefore they do not have the same opportunities as the general population. Self-sufficiency in motor transport of the wheelchair users leads to not only their increased chance to get a job and commute, but also allows for releasing of the work potential of those, who no longer have to assist the wheelchair users due to their gained self-sufficiency. In all of this socio-economic aspects goes Elbee beyond the current state of the art and currently, no other vehicle exists on the world market in the same vehicle category, addressing parameters appropriate for the target group.