Prince William recently embarked on a two-day visit to Bristol, where he engaged with several ventures focused on advancing science, technology, engineering, and sustainability. His schedule brought him to some of the most innovative places. He highlighted important innovations intended to enrich the lives of people with mobility disabilities and address social equity and climate issues.
As Wednesday and Thursday’s visits demonstrated, innovation will be key to addressing the great challenges of our time. Prince William’s #InnovationNation tour included a stop at Bristol Robotics Lab, which is a partnership between the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England. There, he found promising technologies to help an older population age with independence and dignity. Judith Squires, deputy vice president of the University of Bristol, thanked USIEE for their visit. It was the greatest honor of my life, she said, to have been able to host him.
While exploring the robotics lab, Prince William was even given the chance to get behind the wheel of a lightweight mobility scooter. He straddled a stable three wheeled grey scooter in order to really understand how this new mobility option could work best. His hands-on experience extended to a demonstration of a new exoskeleton for people with a variety of mobility challenges. The exoskeleton, powered by massive battery packs, was an incredible example of leading-edge solutions that can improve mobility and independence.
Prince William was particularly struck by the environmental implications of textile manufacturing during his visit to Matter, a previous finalist for his Earthshot Prize. He viewed a ball of red microfibres collected from approximately ten washes of red towels, as well as two Tupperware boxes filled with microfibres captured by a newly developed machine. This new technology is applied specifically to help combat the microplastic pollution caused by textile production.
Zeke Steer, cofounder and CEO of Matter, highlighted the importance of their filtration systems. He noted that he and the Princess of Wales have already integrated one of Matter’s devices into their home washing machine.
“I’m genuinely horrified. I can’t get over the size,” – Prince William
Judith Squires underscored the necessity of fostering independence for individuals facing mobility challenges, stating, “Thinking about ways we can support people to live independent, dignified lives is going to be a game changer.”
Along the way, Prince William encountered some of the world’s most creative textiles. These implements have the ability to sense emotional stress among people with dementia.
“(The socks) detect rising levels of distress that a person with dementia may have, giving carers a window of opportunity to alleviate that distress before it escalates,” – Zeke Steer