Andrew Slorance says that he designed Carbon Black to be more person and less chair. After breaking his back at 14 Slorance felt that using a wheelchair in public stripped away his identity. The world saw him first as a chair and then later as a person.
Slorance designed Carbon Black as a sleek stylish piece of functional equipment instead of a medical device. The lightweight 8.5 kilogram frame allows users to transport the chair on their own and affords a greater independence. When broken down the heaviest component is only 3.5 kilograms.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1871509633/formula-1-technology-makes-ultimate-wheelchair-a-r
The chair is already for sale in the UK - the team is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund FDA approval for sale in the US. Funding will also help to build an infrastructure in the US and hire more staff.
Design theory for the chair is monocoque (go ahead, I looked it up too.) The seat and headrest are all a part of the overall structure. This brings a greater stiffness to the body and decreases the number of components.
The craftsmen who build each Carbon Black to order for their users are also involved in building carbon fibre bodies for Formula 1 teams in the UK. Dry bearings are used to eliminate possible oil smears on the user or their vehicle, and the company says that the carbon fibre body will help to eliminate scratches on a vehicle or rips in clothing or fabric.
Significant testing has already been done to prove out the strength and durability of the chair. My favorite testing moment is on the Kickstarter page, showing a 120 kilogram load on the chair, testing on a rolling road with 12 millimeter protrusions.
Carbon Black is an awesome design innovation already, and the Kickstarter campaign and video are very well done and polished. The company's website is a great sales piece, showing off all of the features and testing done on the chair. This stylized functional design push done to affect social change is incredible.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1871509633/formula-1-technology-makes-ultimate-wheelchair-a-r