Gold Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design · 2020
Wf01tr Racing Wheelchair
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: RDS Co., Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 60,144
- Verification code 7CC1083EF6 · Verify this award
About Wf01tr Racing Wheelchair
WF01TR is a racing wheelchair developed for short-distance track events. The design is lightweight and rigid, and supports high acceleration. Body hold and stability during cornering are improved. The frame is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque, designed with finite element analysis. Each unit is made to order. The seat position is set with a seat position simulator, and a three-dimensional scan of the body shape is applied to the seat. The aim is to help each athlete use their own abilities fully.
The WF01TR Racing Wheelchair by Rds exemplifies the convergence of advanced materials engineering, biomechanical research, and industrial design excellence that characterizes the contemporary evolution of adaptive sports equipment. Emerging from a tradition of continuous refinement in competitive wheelchair athletics, this design represents a significant contribution to the field of human-powered racing vehicles, demonstrating how rigorous attention to aerodynamic principles, structural optimization, and athlete-centered ergonomics can yield equipment that enables peak athletic performance. The three-wheel configuration, with its single front steering wheel and paired rear drive wheels, follows the established typology of elite racing wheelchairs while introducing refined proportional relationships and material applications that suggest careful computational and empirical development. The pronounced forward extension of the frame creates the low, aggressive racing posture essential for minimizing frontal area and wind resistance, while the sculptural seat shell appears designed to support the athlete's body in an optimal power-transfer position. The employment of carbon fiber composites, evident in the deep black wheel structures with their characteristic woven surface texture, speaks to the design's commitment to achieving minimal weight without compromising structural integrity under the significant stresses of competitive racing. The bold red coloration of the central body components serves both functional and symbolic purposes, enhancing visibility for safety while projecting the confidence and dynamism associated with elite athletic competition. The visual language throughout demonstrates sophisticated understanding of form as communication, with every curve and angle contributing to an overall expression of speed, precision, and human achievement. One might observe how the disc wheels at rear reduce aerodynamic turbulence while the spoked front wheel provides responsive steering feel, a configuration refined through decades of competitive development. This work invites consideration of how design excellence can expand human capability and celebrates the athletic spirit that transcends physical circumstance.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- A racing wheelchair developed and designed to maximize the athlete's own abilities and improve competitive performance. The design focusing on the short-distance event is ultra-lightweight, high-rigidity and high acceleration, while improving body hold and stability when cornering. The seat position is determined by the seat position simulator SS01, including the optimization of the rowing of the players, and the manufacture is done order made.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 650 mm x Depth 2100 mm x Height 700 mm
- Tags
- Wheelchair, Paralympic, Sports, Athletes, Carbon fiber,
- Production Technology
- CFRP Monocoque Frame
- Design Challenge
- The challenges in the development of the wheelchair were to flexibly adapt to the seat positions set for each athlete using the simulator, to achieve the rigidity and strength of a high performance wheelchair, and to give it a sleek styling while achieving a high level of productivity.
- Project Duration
- The project started in August 2017 in Japan and finished in September 2019
- Operation Flow
- The operating procedure is the same as that common in competitive wheelchairs. 3D scanned body shapes are applied to the seat to enhance the sense of unity between the wheelchair and the athlete. Stable and high cornering performance without disrupting the athlete's concentration during competition.
- Research
- The development team intended from the outset to apply the findings from the development to other wheelchairs, exploring how to set up an efficient athlete's riding position and the structural design of a high performance wheelchair. In addition to driving tests and development of fabrication techniques based on prototype prototypes, we designed the frame using FEM analysis.
- Inspiration
- This project began from the development of a racing wheelchair for the Paralympic Games. As the development progresses, the design team began to understand the importance of having an athlete fit perfectly in the right place.
In case of prototype for test, the seating position affected the record. And the obvious data has made us easier to understand experienced athletes and communicate with each other much more about wheelchair development. - Image Credits
- RDS Co., Ltd.
Colors of Wf01tr Racing Wheelchair
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