Toby Churchill
Encyclopedia
Toby Churchill DSc FRSA is a British disabled entrepreneur.
He founded a company manufacturing communication aids for people who cannot speak.
and Ruth (née Briggs). He was born in Cambridge
where he has lived for all of his life. He was educated at The Perse School
, Cambridge, and the University of Bath
where he studied Engineering with French.
In 1968 aged 21 Toby became disabled and lost his speech after contracting encephalitis
while swimming in a polluted river. Dissatisfied with the rudimentary communication aids then available for people who cannot speak, he designed the first Lightwriter
for his own use and, after meeting other people with similar needs, started to manufacture them. He set up Toby Churchill Limited in 1973 to manufacture portable text-based communication aids.
The company won a number of awards including a British Design Award in 1969, a Department of Trade and Industry Languages for Export Award in 1996, and the Queen’s Award for Export in 1995 and 1996.
Soon after partially recovering from his disabilities he designed an adapted car for his own use, permitting them to be controlled entirely by his left hand.
His inventions appeared four times on Tomorrow's World
during the 1970s.
He has also set up a wine importing business, a property rental business in France, a super car rental business, and was consulted by Cambridge City Council over the design of a public toilet.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.
He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering by the University of Bath in 2010.
He founded a company manufacturing communication aids for people who cannot speak.
Biography
He is the eldest son of Oliver ChurchillOliver Churchill
Major William Oliver Churchill DSO MC was an SOE officer during World War II.He was a brother of Group Captain Walter Churchill DSO DFC and Captain Peter Churchill DSO Croix de Guerre.-Biography:...
and Ruth (née Briggs). He was born in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
where he has lived for all of his life. He was educated at The Perse School
The Perse School
The Perse Upper School is an independent secondary co-educational day school in Cambridge, England. The school was founded in 1615 by Dr Stephen Perse, a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and has existed on several different sites in the city before its present home on Hills...
, Cambridge, and the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
where he studied Engineering with French.
In 1968 aged 21 Toby became disabled and lost his speech after contracting encephalitis
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue...
while swimming in a polluted river. Dissatisfied with the rudimentary communication aids then available for people who cannot speak, he designed the first Lightwriter
Lightwriter
Lightwriters are a type for Speech generating device.Lightwriter is the brand name of Toby Churchill Limited, a British company founded by Toby Churchill.-About Lightwriters:...
for his own use and, after meeting other people with similar needs, started to manufacture them. He set up Toby Churchill Limited in 1973 to manufacture portable text-based communication aids.
The company won a number of awards including a British Design Award in 1969, a Department of Trade and Industry Languages for Export Award in 1996, and the Queen’s Award for Export in 1995 and 1996.
Soon after partially recovering from his disabilities he designed an adapted car for his own use, permitting them to be controlled entirely by his left hand.
His inventions appeared four times on Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series, showcasing new developments in the world of science and technology. First aired on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.- Content :...
during the 1970s.
He has also set up a wine importing business, a property rental business in France, a super car rental business, and was consulted by Cambridge City Council over the design of a public toilet.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.
He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering by the University of Bath in 2010.