Electric Drive Unit (E.D.U.)

We will provide low-income earning wheelchair users in Nigeria and Africa with convenient mobility by motorizing their existing manual wheelchairs

Globally, the wheelchair foundation estimates that over 131 million people are in need of an effective wheelchair. Focusing on my home country, Nigeria, there are over 3 million wheelchair users of which close to 90% use the manual version.

This reliance on the manual wheelchair has led to dependence on nurses and helpers for those who do not possess upper body strength and long term health effects on those who do.

The convenient alternative, the electric wheelchair is out of reach of the average income earner in Nigeria and is considered a luxury product. Coupled with the absence of an institutional health insurance scheme, most wheelchair users cannot afford to pay for this device out of pocket.

There is a need for an effective, convenient, and affordable mobility device which will improve the living conditions for millions of adaptively abled persons in Nigeria and Africa.

The Electric Drive Unit is an add-on device capable of converting a manual wheelchair to electric at a fraction of the cost of the average electric wheelchair.

It is designed to be easily detachable from the wheelchair, to provide users with both the flexibility of the manual wheelchair and the convenient push button technology of the electric wheelchair.

It relies on high power motors and a unique transmission system to propel the regular wheelchair without the need for human effort.

It has also been simplified to just essential components in a bid to minimize the cost of production and ensure affordability of the device.

The solution is designed for low-income earners in Nigeria, Africa, and developing countries. These persons are typically unable to afford advanced mobility devices and therefore settle for generic manual wheelchairs which are not only ergonomically harmful, but also increase their reliance to others for mobility.

Also, in Nigeria, 8 out of 10 persons lack access to health insurance coverage and are required to pay for their devices out of pocket. This makes it difficult for even average income-earners to save towards the purchase of the medical devices they require.

This solution (E.D.U.) will provide an affordable option for wheelchair-bound individuals seeking independence and convenience in performing their daily activities.

The team is made up of designers, engineers and researchers passionate about the challenges faced by adaptively abled persons in Nigeria. The core team is made up of three young people that have relatives experiencing these challenges and have also spent time at the university clinic, getting first hand experience of the struggles with the manual wheelchair. 

The team is also made up of advisers from academia and healthcare services willing to offer their time for the success of this project.

We began with a detailed desk review, obtaining statistics and research results from both government and academic sources. This review was not limited to journal papers and studies, but also revealed data from official sources such as the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey.

We have conducted extensive market surveys utilizing Google forms. These were targeted at wheelchair users, manual wheelchair retailers and medical professionals. The surveys provided the team with insights on the effects of manual wheelchairs on users and the purchasing power of the demographic we are targeting.

Finally, we conducted key informant interviews with stakeholders in Nigeria. These included Directors of physiotherapy and orthopedic clinics, NGO for Persons with Disability, manufacturers of mobility devices, and of course, wheelchair users.

The Electric Drive Unit provides the best of both worlds between the manual and electric wheelchairs.

Existing manual wheelchairs are affordable but strenuous to use over time. They lead to increased dependence on caregivers and the generic ones can even lead to negative health effects especially on the user's shoulder.

On the other hand, the electric wheelchair is convenient and easy to use independent of helpers, but it is prohibitively expensive for many in the developing world, especially those without a health insurance cover.

The E.D.U. will provide users with the convenience of an electric wheelchair with the cost effectiveness that rivals the manual wheelchair.

The first goal for the next year is to develop a user-centered product. Despite having several prototypes, the team is still working on obtaining a final product which can meet the precise needs of those who have already indicated interest in the product.

The second goal, by the last quarter of the year, is to have sold at least 1000 units across Nigeria, targeting particularly bread winners and household head which will provide a ripple effect of improving lives of up to 1000 households.

The core technology is the unique mode of attachment of the device to the wheelchair, transmitting power effectively from the device motors to the wheels of the chair. This technology also makes it easier for the device to be attached and detached at will by the users as compared to alternative modes of attachment.

The product has not launched but the intention is to sell up to 1000 units by the fourth quarter of the year. This will be made possible by strategic partnerships with health clinics and the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) in Nigeria.

The highest barrier has been financial. The team has struggled in the R&D process as funding has been short. 

Thus far, we have raised capital from friends and family but this has not been sufficient to achieve the quality of output we will need.

Another challenge is cultural as wheelchair users in Nigeria sometimes feel like outcasts and are unwilling to engage with new technologies or improved modes of living. For this reason, a partnership with the governing body, NCPWD, will help reassure users that the device is for their own good.

We have a technology partnership with Innov8 hub which will provide us with the machinery we need to develop the prototype for a fee.

The revenue model will be of two forms: One-off sale of the product and pay-as-you-go payment model.

The primary customer is the low/middle income earning manual wheelchair users. Other customers are family members of wheelchair users or organizations with the purchasing power to provide the device for them. 

The customers will be targeted through three channels:

• Partnership with governing bodies for the adaptively abled persons
• Partnerships with health clinics and medical officers
• Partnerships with vendors of manual wheelchairs to include the device as an accessory of their existing products.

Financial sustainability will be achieved through raising of investment capital and government contracts.

Contracts can be gotten from state governments and the federal government who are constantly donating medical devices to underserved communities in the country. A typical example of this is in Benue state, where the government donated wheelchairs through a popular wheelchair vendor.

Once the product and manufacturing process are finalized, the team will seek out government contracts for the provision of several units to the end users.

Investment capital will also be sought out as a long-term sustainability plan.