The story

In April 1978, the inventor of COBY-1 , Manuel Borges Belza’s father became seriously ill and bedridden, making basic hygiene painful and difficult. Witnessing his father’s suffering inspired Manuel to design a stretcher to lift and care for bedridden or disabled people. He traveled to the United States, Sweden, Denmark, and beyond, researching patient care and seeing firsthand the suffering caused by immobility and bedsores.

Back in Tenerife, he began building the stretcher, COBY-1, at the Salesian College workshops. His father sadly passed away in July, but by November Manuel completed the stretcher and successfully tested it on a fragile patient at the Military Hospital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, impressing the medical staff.

The stretcher was stored in his garage for 40 years. A few years ago, when his friend Ricardo Melchior (former President of Tenerife) was bedridden after an accident, Manuel introduced COBY-1. Ricardo was amazed and encouraged him to continue. Confirming that no similar device existed worldwide, Manuel patented it under PCT ES/2016/070512, developed a near-final prototype, and presented it at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva.

BRINGING COBY-1 to the market

Our team

Recognising the growing challenge of lack of staff to help people with reduced mobility transfer, our team of experienced scientists and engineers, have decided to help Manuel bring COBY-1 to the market.