Dutch design agency NPK Design has developed a lightweight carbon fibre bracket to be used as a new harness for guide dogs.
Developed at the request of the Royal Dutch Guide Dog Foundation (KNGF), the NPK Design bracket incorporates several features inspired by kite surfing equipment and motor sports technology. Additionally, a reflective trim and safety light enhances the dog’s visibility in traffic.
“We were honoured when asked by KNGF to help them with the design of a new guide dog harness,” says Janwillem Bouwknegt, one of NPK’s chief designers.
“After several meetings with owners and guide dog trainers, we came up with a carbon fibre solution for the bracket, mainly because of its superior stiffness and weight characteristics. This in turn meant we had to look for a supplier for the small scale series production of carbon components at a reasonable cost and, having worked with Refitech before, they were our first choice.”
When helping its owner to navigate obstacles and through traffic, a guide dog’s harness and bracket are vital for signalling its movements. It requires the harness to fit tightly and for all connections to be rigid and without play.
Thanks to the ridges the NPK team incorporated in the design, the bracket slots into place with a clear ‘click’ – a helpful feature for a visually impaired owner. Once mounted on the harness, the carbon bracket ‘floats’ over the dog’s back, making it easier to locate for the owner. The harness itself is made of leather, which happens to be the most wear-resistant material for the job.
“NPK was leading in the conceptual design and functionality of the new harness,” says Bas Nijpels, sales engineer at Refitech.
“Our role in the process was to focus on the production aspects of the bracket, as well as prototyping and material sourcing. As the KNGF is a non-profit organisation that depends on donations for its work, we knew upfront that costs would have to be kept to a minimum.
“After optimising the design for easier mould removal and the use of prepregs, we now supply the new bracket at a very favourable rate, also thanks to our production facilities in China.”
KNGF is a non-profit organisation that breeds and trains guide dogs for blind or partially-sighted owners, people confined to a wheelchair, as well as people suffering from autism or PDSD. At present the organisation only offers the new light weight harnesses to guide dog owners in the Netherlands. However, as the requirements for these are universal, KNGF says it is now looking for potential partners to market the new harness across Europe.
