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Researchers and engineers looking to help those with lower-limb paralysis have just had USD$4-million dangled in their faces by Toyota. The Japanese car giant's Mobility Foundation is setting up just such a prize and grant fund to aid developments in improving mobility for those suffering paralysis.
The fund, established with the help of charity The Nesta Challenge, is looking for innovators and inventors with game-changing ideas in the area of paralysis research and development. The prize can be for any innovation, whether it's a physical exoskeleton, or clever software, or batteries.
Toyota has lined up a group of expert ambassadors, all of whom have dealt with lower-limb paralysis at some stage, including Aki Taguchi, Director, Paralympian Association of Japan; August de los Reyes, Head of Design at Pinterest; Yinka Shonibare MBE, Turner Prize nominated British/Nigerian artist; Sandra Khumalo, South African rower; Preethi Srinivasan, Indian athlete and campaigner; Sophie Morgan, British TV presenter; Tatyana McFadden, US track and field athlete; and Dr. Rory A Cooper, director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh.
Each of the five finalists, picked by an expert panel of judges, will get USD$500,000 prizes to develop their concepts. The top prize of the fund is a USD$1-million grant, to enable the winning tech to be developed for sale, and put on display as part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As well as that, groups of less-well funded researchers can apply for a number of USD$50,000 grants to help get their ideas off the ground and into the competition.
Both the global Mobility Unlimited Challenge and Toyota Ireland's announcement as the Official Partner of the 2020 Irish Paralympics Team are Toyota Ireland's notable examples of coming to life through the 'Built for a Better World' brand purpose.
Julie Ann Burandt, Global Communications Manager, Toyota Mobility Foundation said "Personal mobility devices can help overcome some major barriers in life for people, however, at present they do not fully meet the needs of user's due to limitations in functionality and usability. We know people could benefit from technologies and innovations from outside the assistive technology field, as well as from greater support to those in the field. That is exactly what we want to do with the Mobility Unlimited Challenge, and hopefully change people's lives."
Steve Tormey, Chief Executive, Toyota Ireland added; "According to Spinal Injuries Ireland there are over 1,800 people living with spinal cord injury in Ireland, and there are many more with lower-limb paralysis that are striving for a better way of living. We look forward to seeing the difference this initiative can make to people and encourage those with ideas here in Ireland to apply."