UPDATE: Naidex 2018 will be on the 25th and 26th April 2018 – you can get FREE Naidex tickets here.
Next week Disability Horizons will be exhibiting at Naidex 2016, where we’ll be able to check out the latest independent living products and innovative mobility aids and assistive technology. Here, we tell you why you should come along to the exhibition too.
Naidex is a free event on from 27th to 28th April 2016 at the NEC in Birmingham. Naidex is a yearly exhibition that showcases some of the latest products aimed at helping you to be independent. It’s also a great place to hear from some of the most influential disabled people and company owners offering advice and support to help you live your life to the fullest.
Our very own Martyn Sibley, Co-founder of Disability Horizons, will be talking about his new book, Everything is Possible, and how you don’t have to let your disability limit you.
The Disability Horizons team will be stationed at hall/stand N14 on both days, where we’ll be running a competition to win a yearly subscription to Accessible Traveller, worth £74.99, which gives you exclusive travel advice, reviews on accessible equipment and discounts on accommodation and products.
If you win you’ll also get a bottle of champagne and yummy chocolates. So please do pop over to our stand to enter our competition, and to meet the team behind Disability Horizons. We’re dying to meet you too and hear any of your ideas for the magazine.
Mobility aids and assistive technology
As well as inspiring speakers, there will be a whole host of new products on show. Here, we round up four products worth checking out:
- Glory Headset from Made2Aid – this headset allows you to control your wheelchair, computer and other electronic devices, such as a smartphone or tablet, with head movements. It also has blink detection for clicking your computer mouse or touchscreen. Visit Made2Aid at hall/stand A7.
- iArm Robotic Arm from Assistive Innovations – enabling you to do a while host of daily tasks yourself, the iArm gives you independence to drink, feed yourself or support your arm whole on the phone. Assistive Innovations can be found at hall/stand C43.
- EyeGaze from Dad in a Shed – instead of head movements, EyeGaze systems uses your eye movements to control your laptop, smartphone or tablet. Head to hall/stand A6 to find out more from Dad in a Shed.
- eFOLDi – this wheelchair come electric scooter, which can be set to three different speeds, can be folded up to be carried or stored in the boot of your car, used as a simple seat if you’re out and about, or used as a scooter. You can find out more about this versatile chair at hall/stand L4, or watch the video below.
Continuing the theme of innovative products to make your life easier, charity Designability are asking visitors to come to their stand (G2) to share their daily experiences and challenges with products that don’t fully meet. From the ideas it collects, its team will look at what new products can be designed to help make your life easier.
Jess Fox, Industrial Designer and Researcher at Designability, said: “This human-centred design approach is at the heart of our work. Our research and development reflects real needs that exist that are not currently being met by products already out there. That’s why we ‘Design for People’, with people. We cannot create innovative products and technologies without invaluable insights from people who are in need of greater independence and support.”
Wheelchair and mobility scooter test track
If you’re interested in buying a new powered wheelchair or mobility scooter, you can give it a test drive on the Naidex Mobility Test area (stand B29). The course includes challenging everyday obstacles, rough terrain and ramps so you can get a feel for how easy it will be to manoeuvre in the real world.
Sports and activities zone
Naidex’s new Let’s Play initiative will give you a chance to try out a range of sports and activities, including Boccia, powerchair football, tennis and wheelchair basketball. You’ll also be able to get more information on local clubs near you that you can get involved in, and get answers to any questions about the sports.
By Disability Horizons
Whether you’ll be able to make it to Naidex or not, we’ll be tweeting from the event, so keep up to date with the latest products, and share your thoughts on any innovative products you’ve seen by tweeting us @DHorizons with the hashtag #Naidex2016, messaging us on Facebook, emailing us at editor@disabilityhorizons.com or leaving your comments below.
Check out…
