Dan Ashman, final year product design student who lives in Rhoose has produced the 'Unijogga ', an exercise buggy which has been specifically designed for parents who want to get fit.
His prototype incorporates a number of unique features including a leaf spring suspension system for the aerodynamically-styled seat, with an integral roll cage
Dan, 21, came up with the design with the help of experts, including fitness trainers affiliated to the Guild of Postnatal Exercise Instructors.
Advanced composites technology and computer-aided design have both been employed in the construction of the buggy and frame resulting in an exceptionally lightweight all-terrain pram that has significant strength and safety advantages over existing products.
Dan hopes to tap into the growing popularity of mothers going jogging as they push their children along.
He said, "The idea came from overhearing mothers talking about how they still hadn 't lost the weight the put on during pregnancy and how they wish they could return to their original fitness. I found out that postnatal fitness has become very big in the U.S so I brain-stormed product ideas and came up with the pram.
"The frame of the pram is like nothing else on the market, it is a wish bone design with the two wheels at the front and the one wheel at the back.
"The two wheels take impact and shocks - the knocks and bumps you get when rolling over the grass.
"The wheel at the back is in the middle of the buggy which means when the mother is running she can do so without knocking her legs on it, which is what happens with conventional buggies."
Dan hopes to get his patent and once the design is refined, companies will show interest in manufacturing it.
He said, "We have tested my pram and found it is 40% more stable than all the other prams on the market. It is designed so that mothers can run around in parks and be confident that it's safer than other prams on the market.
"It is very lightweight and the strain is minimal so mothers can build up their own pace. It has a designed flexibility in it so that it only flexes in one direction."
June 2006
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