By Paul Ridden
Dutch design firm Studio Rotor has been working with startup Retter Helfer Medical on a lightweight patient transport option for ambulance personnel. The Multi Scoop Pro features a patented mechanism that sees it change from flat stretcher to wheelchair in a matter of seconds.
While researching the work of paramedics, Studio Rotor found that traditional manual stretchers had been replaced in many modern ambulances by electric stretchers weighing 60 kg and more. That heft meant that emergency personnel would often just leave these heavy stretchers in the vehicle and lug all of their equipment to where it was needed by hand.
The research also revealed that virtually all ambulances still had a scoop stretcher too, which are used to lift patients off the ground. So the designers looked at combining such a scoop stretcher with a lightweight wheelchair. Paramedics could then use it to trundle equipment along in wheelchair mode, and either transform it to a scoop stretcher when needed or seat the patient in the wheelchair for transport back to the vehicle.
The resulting Multi Scoop Pro weighs in at around 10 kg (22 lb) and serves as an ambulance stretcher with scoop capabilities that can be unlocked into two sections, positioned under a patient and locked again for transport mode.
Wheel components can also be pulled out and locked into place before the whole thing is lifted up and compressed into a wheelchair shape. It can be used to haul emergency gear to a site and the foot rests pulled out so that the patient can be wheeled to where they need to go.
Currently a working prototype, Retter Helfer Medical is further developing the concept with IDP Amsterdam to get the Multi Scoop Pro ready for launch towards the end of 2019. The video below demonstrates the functionality.
Source: Studio Rotor
An audio version of this article is available to New Atlas Plus subscribers.
(For the source of this article, and to see all seven photos plus a video associated with it, please visit: https://newatlas.com/multi-scoop-pro-wheelchair-stretcher/59835/)