Weighing only 4.96 kg, the world’s lightest folding wheelchair is made from a combination of carbon, aramid, aluminium and steel. By comparison, patients in hospital are typically having to push around 20 kg in addition to their own bodyweight. This weight difference is achieved through ultra-lightweight construction in which materials are used extremely efficiently and the properties of each material are used to optimum effect.
The idea behind this project, which is the work of four students on the Master’s degree programme in Automotive Engineering, is to improve mobility for people with physical impairments. The students have already applied their knowledge of ultra-lightweight design and construction in a very different field, namely in developing a racing car for the Formula Student competition.