For medical teams operating in war-torn zones, every life lost feels like a tragedy, but every life saved is a true victory. Inspired by the long-drawn-out conflict in Ukraine and the dire need for health care services for frontline communities, Polish inventor Piotr Tluszcz has created an ingenious and effective off-road ambulance for medical evacuations across rough terrain. His creation has been awarded a special Humanitarian Award at the James Dyson design competition.
The annual international design competition challenges engineering students to create something that solves a problem. Called "The Life Chariot," the young Polish engineer's groundbreaking MEDEVAC solution is essentially a light off-road trailer that can attach itself to any hook-equipped vehicle, and it was designed to help medical evacuation teams in challenging environments like conflict zones and areas affected by natural disasters.
Interestingly, its inventor says the trailer's low weight and off-road suspension make it safer for a wounded person to travel in than the trunk of a car (a common method used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces). With ten years of experience in designing hitchable off-road and cave rescue trailers, Piotr felt he could create a better MEDEVAC solution.
The Life Chariot trailer has been designed with functionality and versatility in mind. It comes with an adjustable hitch and increased evacuation capabilities, as it can accommodate an injured person on a removable NATO-standard stretcher and two other passengers on strapped seats. The latter could be either medics or other wounded people in need of medical assistance. Moreover, the interior space is meticulously designed so that rescuers can attend to the injured while en route to medical facilities.
The upper module of this evacuation vehicle aims to ensure the safety and comfort of those in need of medical care. It boasts a protective steel cage that can be covered with a fireproof tarpaulin. Access inside is made through openings on the sides and rear.
The trailer ensures a smooth, comfortable ride over any kind of terrain thanks to Da Orffo's off-road suspension, which is designed for high-speed operation with gas-adjustable coilover dampers and longitudinal rocker arms. What's more, the Life Chariot boasts a robust construction, and the designer assures it is repairable under frontline conditions. Two airtight boxes and a roof rack for medical equipment are also part of the design.
Piotr started to work on the Life Chariot project in March 2022 and used 1:1 scale models in virtual reality to polish up the design. Two such trailers have already been given to the Ukrainian Medical Military Unit and a Polish voluntary medic unit and have been tested on a wide range of terrains, including mountain trails, caves, forests, and mines, with the feedback used to improve the design.
Piotr plans to use the money from the James Dyson award to implement further upgrades and even create new iterations of the Life Chariot based on feedback from rescuers on the front line. Currently, he is also working on adapting the trailer for mountain rescue applications.
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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