Andrew Slorance was left paralysed by a spinal injury he suffered during a fall from a tree aged just 14.
The documentary maker turned entrepreneur learned the hard way how many wheelchairs leave much to be desired and is working to improve the experience of disabled people by using cutting edge technology.
The Nairn 49-year-old recently won $500,000 of international funding to develop a “smart wheelchair”, and he will discover next month whether he will win $1m to bring the device to market.
Mr Slorance’s company, Forres-based Phoenix Instinct, was one of five finalists – and the only British contender – named in the Mobility Unlimited Challenge contest.
Eighty teams from 28 countries around the world entered, with five finalists announced.
The new wheelchair uses smart technology to automatically adjust the user’s centre of gravity – giving the chair much more stability and maneuverability than conventional models.
Starting a wheelchair revolution
Mr Slorance and his company has had to work through the challenges that the coronavirus pandemic has had on developing the device.
He said: “When China shut down in January it meant we could not get many of the parts needed. Then as it was reopening, Britain shut down, making it difficult for us to work on the project, particularly as I was shielding.
“Thankfully the organisers put the closing date back three months which meant we got our prototype entered for the final by just a few weeks.
“Unfortunately, the winner was to be announced at the Tokyo Olympics, but that won’t happen because of Covid and we will learn the winner next month by Zoom. It is pretty disappointing not to go to Tokyo, but we are hopeful of being in with a chance of winning the $1million.
“I believe our new smarter wheelchair will be the start of a wheelchair revolution.”
A wheelchair user for 35 years following the spinal cord injury, Mr Slorance is a product designer and innovator who designs from real experience of building an independent life post injury.
Changing perceptions
Following a 20-year career in broadcast television where the Highland native produced, directed, edited and presented documentaries and news for network broadcast, he started designing products.
Since his injury, he had seen the shortcomings of wheelchair design and had an ambition to address these in his own work.
In 2015, Mr Slorance formed Phoenix Instinct to develop and bring to market his new ideas.
He added: “By the time I was 16, I’d decided that I would one day design a wheelchair that would change perceptions by using cutting edge materials and styling.”
