A revolutionary new harness designed by a mother to give her wheelchair-bound son a chance to walk, is set to make lives easier for countless families across the world struggling with disability.
Now, a company in Northern Ireland has taken the invention and prepared it for an international launch, reported the Independent.
Debby Elnatan, a music therapist whose son Rotem has cerebral palsy, said the idea for a support harness came from her own “pain and desperation.”
The harness was designed to enable Rotem to stand upright and by attaching it to herself, Ms Elnatan and her son could take steps together.
The manufacturer, Leckey, has a track record of producing equipment for children with special needs, and after successful trials in the UK and North America the Firefly Upsee has been rolled out worldwide.
“It is wonderful to see this product available to families across the world,” said Ms Elnatan, who was at the official unveiling at the Leckey factory in Lisburn.
The Upsee allows infants and small children to stand and achieve repetitive walking training with the support of an adult.
It includes a harness for the child that attaches to a belt worn by an adult, and specially-engineered sandals that allow the parent and child to step simultaneously, leaving their hands free for play and other tasks.
Designers, engineers, textile experts and therapists from Leckey's Firefly team have been working on the project since 2012.