A Suffolk inventor has won acclaim for an idea he hopes will revolutionise the way people travel.
Gordon Hamilton was handed the International Invention of the Year Platinum Design Award by the British Inventors Society for coming up with the Torsorest mini flight bed.
Mr Hamilton, 60, from Framlingham, devised the piece of mobile furniture to help ease the strain of being confined to a seat on long journeys.
The father-of-three hopes travellers will soon pack a Torsorest in their luggage rather than using pillows and cushions to make themselves comfortable.
“I wanted to solve the problem of sleeping in a seat while travelling,” he said. “It’s a problem that has grown in recent years with increased air travel, and is reportedly the worst part of a traveller’s journey.
“I tried to tackle it more scientifically than pillows and cushions.
“It has proved very effective at trials and I’m more or less at the final prototype stage. The University of East Anglia carried out medical tests last year that seemed to substantiate the comfort reports of those who have used it.”
Mr Hamilton dreamt up the Torsorest while accompanying his teacher wife, Barbara, on a school ski trip which involved a 24-hour coach ride to Italy.
He took early retirement from a career in container shipping to explore the idea, and after six years of securing all the relevant global patents, now hopes to license the product to luggage companies.
The forward leaning platform, which supports the chest, head and shoulders, removing half of the user’s weight from their seat, employs the same handle mechanism as found in many suitcases and items of hand luggage.
Mr Hamilton was presented with his award by British inventor Jeffrey Woolf OBE during a celebration dinner at the Savoy Hotel in London.
You can find out more about the Torsorest by visiting torszo.com.
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