MALAYSIAN DISABLED CYCLIST TRYING TO PEDAL OVER 1,000 KM WITH BIONIC LEG

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia - Azman Yeop Akhil intends to ride his way into the Malaysia Book of Records by being the first disabled Malaysian to cycle over 1,000km.

Azman, 43, will cycle through six states over the course of nine days, making a loop around half of the peninsula and arriving back where he started, at Universiti Malaya (UM).

"The furthest I've cycled so far is Cameron Highlands, so I'm looking forward to this challenge," he said.

• Azman is taking part in Ekspedisi Kasih Bionik, which is a joint initiative between UM's Centre for Applied Biomechanics, Photonics Research Group and the Faculty of Engi­neering.
• The expedition was flagged off by Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and UM vice-chancellor Prof Tan Sri Dr Ghauth Jasmon at the varsity's chancellery building.
• UM researchers, headed by Hossein Gholizadeh, built a custom-made prosthetic cycling leg for Azman, who lost his right leg when he was knocked over at a pedestrian crossing by a motorcyclist eight years ago.
• Photonics Research Group (PRG) head Dr Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan said the bionic cycling leg is shaped so that it fits securely into the pedal of the bicycle.
• "It is also fitted with fibre optic sensors that will send real-time data on his vitals, such as pulse heartbeat and temperature, to the UM laboratory over the course of his 1,100km journey," he said.

Source: Agency