THE SUMO STORY 

The SUMO walking stick and reacher, like most innovations, came about as a solution to a simple problem.  In 2005, Selwyn Jebson the inventor of SUMO had a fall and broke his hip.  As a result, he found himself on crutches and using a reacher to help him reach for the things he couldn't bend for. 

The problem was that every time Selwyn wanted the pick-up stick, it was in another room.  So as an engineer and problem solver by nature, Selwyn thought that it would be useful to have one piece of equipment that could combine the functions of both a pick-up stick and reacher, and a walking stick.

Selwyn passed his idea by some friends and colleagues who thought he had a concept worth exploring.  So with the help of his son Richard and the support of his wife Bae, Selwyn set to work.

To get his concept and initial drawings into a design and prototype ready for production, Selwyn approached a Palmerston North Company called Idea Developments Ltd.  They provide a complete product design, development and manufacturing process for a new idea. With Idea Developments on board, Selwyn’s next step was to find funding.

A seed grant was received from NZTE for the initial development and a grant from Grow Wellington followed for product testing. 

But as we know, all good things take time. What Selwyn thought would take a couple of years, in fact took eight years to get to market.  It took time to discover old patents from those that had tried this idea before and it took time to discover there wasn't a product like it on the market.  Then there was the challenge to get the mechanisms working togther and for the claw to be safe and not a tripping hazard.

The first prototype showed that while the design worked, the manufacture didn't.  The complexity in the design and production is in the SUMO’s ability to fold for travelling, be height adjustable and have a handle that can operate the pick-up function while not hindering its use as a walking stick. 

However, the time it took from concept to manufacture allowed for extensive market and product research.  This resulted in a final product that sets the SUMO apart from any other walking stick on the international market.

“We are delighted with the final product” says Selwyn.  We are proud of SUMO’s unique patented technology and the stick’s versatility.  It has the capacity to support mobility and independence across a range of disabilities.”