Wheelchairs aren’t one-size-fits-all when it comes to mobility needs. For individuals using manual wheelchairs with limited hand mobility, propelling the chair forward can be challenging. The Winged Wheelchairs device aims to address this issue.
Winged Wheelchairs consist of two main components: a manual wheelchair attachment and a handheld lever. The attachment includes wheels and a connecting rod with knobs. The lever fits comfortably in the hand, allowing users to push against the knobs to move the wheelchair. It can be reset by lifting and pushing again.
“Winged Wheelchairs provides an alternative and less strenuous form of propulsion,” says co-founder Bohdan Mozharivsky, a McMaster University Chemical Engineering and Management student. “Our invention enables manual wheelchair users to regain independence and restore personal agency while avoiding the costly transition to an electric wheelchair.”
Co-founders Mary England, Patrick Clarkin, and Troy Gonidis, all from the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences (iBioMed) program at McMaster, developed Winged Wheelchairs from a first-year iBioMed course. They were inspired by a client with multiple sclerosis who wanted an easier way to propel her wheelchair without switching to a bulky and expensive power chair.
“Seeing the effect our product could have on a human level was really impactful,” says Clarkin. “I love the innovation aspect of Winged Wheelchairs and learning that a broad population could benefit from it and have an improved quality of life was really motivating.”
Receiving positive feedback from their client and associate professor, Colin McDonald, the team was accepted into a residency at The Clinic, an on-campus incubator for new medical technologies. Under the guidance of iBioMed grad and founder of ImaginAble Solutions Inc., Lianna Genovese, the team refined their low-fidelity wooden prototype using 3D printers and feedback from occupational therapists and manual wheelchair users. They also collaborated with the McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute to discuss materials and manufacturing potential,
“I love the innovation aspect of Winged Wheelchairs and learning that a broad population could benefit from it and have an improved quality of life was really motivating.” Patrick Clarkin, iBioMed student
Assistant professor Kenneth Owen’s “From Idea to Innovation” course allowed Mozharivsky and Clarkin to focus on the business side of Winged Wheelchairs. Through lectures, guest speakers, and interactive tutorials, they learned how to understand the commercial potential of their idea and create a viable business offering.
A residency at The Forge, another on-campus incubator, provided $5000 in support to develop Winged Wheelchairs. The team leveraged resources and opportunities like pitch competitions, with Mozharivsky speaking on behalf of the co-founders and placing in the top five at Startup Survivor.
Looking ahead, Winged Wheelchairs aims to finalize the prototype design, secure patents and intellectual property, and conduct pilot studies. The team is committed to scaling up their innovation to reach a broader population of manual wheelchair users. “Before coming to McMaster, innovation and entrepreneurship felt like buzzwords,” says Mozharivsky. “However, through our coursework and extracurricular experiences, we’ve been able to genuinely pursue these concepts with the Winged Wheelchair from first year.”