Kiwi ingenuity wins Gold with an exceptional keyboard designed to help people with disabilities to overcome frustrating circumstances by enabling them to use a computer and get online with much greater ease. LOMAK (light operated mouse and keyboard) took out the gold in the Computer Equipment category of the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) and is the brainchild of Peter Haythornthwaite.
"This award recognizes the skills, passion and vision of a talented team of people" says design principal Peter Haythornthwaite. "Our designers worked with inventor Mike Watling and engineers to create a system that has a profound effect on the lives of people with disabilities." The CEO, Chris Mulcare, says the LOMAK is transforming customers' lives. Sam Morgan has joined the Board of Directors and has also invested in Opdo. He is a former director/co-owner of Trade Me, one of New Zealand's recent business success stories.
So far the users of LOMAK have ranged in age from 7 years old to 78 years and have had different disabilities. There were people with RSI (repetitive strain injury), MS (multiple sclerosis), cerebral palsy, spinal muscular dystrophy, quadriplegia, arthritis and motor neurone disease who have found that this mouse and keyboard have helped them to take advantage of opportunities that other people have access too. LOMAK users have been able to join MySpace, email friends, sell things on Trade Me and access additional educational opportunities through the internet and have some normality returned to their lives through these computer technologies being accessible and available.
