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$1 Million Toyota Mobility Prize for Phoenix i Intelligent Wheelchair

Congratulations to Phoenix Instinct on winning the $1 million prize through the Toyota Mobility Unlimited Challenge.

In 2017, the Toyota Mobility Foundation launched a $4 million challenge, which including many stages over 3 years. Designers and innovators were invited to come up with radical improvements in the mobility and independence of people with lower-limb paralysis through smarter assistive technology.

Makar Technologies partnered with Phoenix Instinct back in 2018 to work on the winning ultra-lightweight manual wheelchair made from carbon-fibre.

Toyota Mobility Phoenix I

Phoenix I Intelligent Wheelchair

The smart electronics, developed in conjunction with Phoenix Instinct and manufactured by our team, function both the centre of gravity and power assist features. The software intelligence provides enhanced ease of pushing, agility and stability functions never seen before in wheelchairs.

Out of a total of 80 entries and 5 finalists, Phoenix Instinct were the only UK entry.

On the 17th December, they were crowned the winners at a live-streamed online event, securing the $1 million Toyota Mobility prize.

We look forward to continuing the development in 2021, supporting Phoenix Instinct in taking the Intelligent Wheelchair to market.

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UHI-Soldering

University of the Highlands & Islands

We recently welcomed 16 engineering students plus lecturers from the University of the Highlands & Islands (Moray) to our Forres facility.

As we continue to grow, we are always on the lookout for young and enthusiastic graduates to join our experienced team. This visit allowed local students to gain an understanding of the potential jobs available to them in the area (Highlands/Moray of Scotland).

Throughout the visit, our team presented the top of the range machinery and processes that are carried out on a daily basis at Makar. From Surface Mount Technology through to Final Product Testing, our manufacturing facility provides exciting opportunities for newly qualified engineers and technicians.

The ability to meet individuals in different engineering roles proved very beneficial. The students asked questions about their experiences in the industry and their pathway to the positions they are now in. Our design engineers cover a number of disciplines including electronic, software/firmware and mechanical design.

Having a number of UHI graduates already working for the company, David King (Managing Director) is extremely happy with their contribution and progression so far.

“Makar are developing exciting new products and technologies. Creative minds in the local area will only help us push the boundaries of innovation.”

We welcome further collaboration with educational institutes and will continue to grow our relationship with UHI (University of the Highlands & Islands)

https://www.uhi.ac.uk

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Logo News

New Website Launched
We are happy to announce the launch of our new website!

Going into the New Year (2019) our aim is to improve your experience in sourcing information about Makar Technologies. Along with the the new website launch, we have new brochures which provide you with more detail on our capabilities.

Download our new brochure here.

 

 

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Toyota Mobility Finalists

We are happy to announce that we have partnered with Phoenix Instinct to design and manufacture an intelligent wheelchair.

Our Managing Director, David King, supported Andrew Slorance in the Toyota Mobility competition. Phoenix Instinct have reached the final along with 4 other companies who have all received $500K funding each.

Makar Technologies will be designing and manufacturing the electro-mechanical sub-systems as part of the final proposed solution.

A link and further information on the finalists can be found below:

https://newsroom.toyota.eu/toyota-mobility-foundation-unveils-five-visions-for-the-future-of-mobility-at-ces/

The Phoenix AI wheelchair is an ultra-lightweight manual wheelchair made from carbon-fiber. Using smart sensors the chair will configure itself to what the user is doing so it remains in sync with how the user moves. The sensors detect if the user is leaning forward or back, algorithms will calculate the wheelchair’s response. The Phoenix Ai will have many smart functions never before seen in wheelchairs, at the core is intelligent centre of gravity. The chair will continually adjust its centre of gravity to fit what the user is doing making for a chair that is easier to push and turn by eliminating drag and uncomfortable, painful vibration while also making the chair safe from falling backwards. Intelligent, lightweight power assist will make slopes easier to ascend while automatic braking will remove the need for users to grip the wheels to slow down.

As a company, we are very passionate about this market and continue to support other applications with innovative designs and manufacturing.

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Farnborough Airshow News

Farnborough Airshow 2018
Makar attended Farnborough Airshow this year as part of the Highlands & Islands Pavilion. The show was a great success; giving the team the chance to catch up with many existing customers.

Our motor drive products were being showcased and attracted a lot if interest. We are thankful to all who stopped by for a chat.

The stag and whisky tasting proved a big hit, we will need to keep this in mind for our next exhibition!

Please feel free to get in touch with any questions regarding our product range or services offered. Our friendly team will be happy to support in any way.

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