The Model One Hoist transfer system project

About the Project

Project aims

A fundamentally different approach to overhead hoists has been developed by Transfer Systems and is being refined and trialed in the HabITec Lab. The Model One radically transforms the landscape of device functionalities in that it lifts people from below rather than hoisting people from above.  Research Fellow from The Hopkins Centre, Dr Camila Shirota is leading this project in partnership with Transfer Systems, Spinal Life Australia and the University of Sydney. The project aims to maximise the likelihood of the lift having positive impact on healthcare, commercialisation potential, and translation to clinically relevant rehabilitation technologies.  

Expected outcomes

The team has already worked with Transfer Systems to refine the lift and iron out a few challenges. The project will now engage users of rehabilitation technologies including people with disability, their carers and clinicians to trial and provide feedback on an improved version of this novel device. The project will:  

• determine usability and acceptability of device use in practice;  
• identify challenges that should be actioned in future development iterations to bring the most benefit for the intended end-users and the healthcare system more generally; and  
• provide further evidence to the benefits and challenges of diverse stakeholder engagement in the development of rehabilitation technologies.  

Expected impact

Findings from this research project are expected to maximise the healthcare impact, commercialisation, and translation of clinically relevant, novel rehabilitation technologies. It will do so directly for the Model One device specifically, as well as contribute to the overall framework for other rehabilitation technologies.  

Progress

This project has commenced and an early version of the Model One device has been iteratively designed and will now be tested by people with disability and their carers and/or clinicians during sessions being hosted by Spinal Life Australia in Buranda in late April and May.  

Publications

C Shirota, B Gillespie, E Kendall. 'Co-designing a new approach to transfer', Australian Assistive Technology Conference (AATC) 2024, 6-8 November, Gold Coast, Australia. 

Project Team

Dr Camila Shirota 
Dr Kelly Clanchy 
Mr Matt McShane 
Prof Michel Coppieters 
Prof Elizabeth Kendall 
Prof Alistair McEwan 

Funding acknowledgements

Griffith University and the Hopkins Centre/Griffith Inclusive Futures 
Spinal Life Australia 
Transfer Systems 
University of Sydney 
Cerebral Palsy Alliance