Inspirational guest speaks at rural engineering conference

Rob and his partner Sarah at the NCEA event

No amount of technical advances can replace the health and mobility of a quadriplegic. But young cattleman Rob Cook is determined to find technology that will enable him to perform routine tasks on his family’s large property in the Northern Territory.

Rob became a quadriplegic following a helicopter crash in September 2008, and spoke of his journey at the recent biennial conference of the Australian Society for Engineering in Agriculture, sponsored and co-organised by the University of Southern Queensland’s National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA)

Director of the NCEA, Mr Erik Schmidt, said the theme of the conference, Diverse Challenges, Innovative Solutions, was particularly pertinent to the needs of Mr Cook.

'The conference covered a range of themes, a common focus being use of technologies to address agricultural challenges,' he said.

'Rob proved an ideal person to address the conference dinner and provided a strong human story on the important role of engineering innovation in agricultural communities.'

Rob gained a Nuffield Scholarship, and with the help of his wife Sarah, sponsors and friends, he recently completed a tour program, visiting destinations such as New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Canada and Scotland, studying innovation and technology in the beef industry.

He was recently featured on ABC television driving his wheelchair along the 730km Tanami track from Suplejack Downs to Alice Springs, to raise money to complete his Nuffield scholarship and awareness of spinal injuries.

Rob is able to control a 4 X 4 wheelchair, and he wants to have the same control over tasks on the family cattle property, but knows that voice control is essential.

He acknowledged that the technology he requires is probably yet to be designed. He said he particularly required voice activated controls so he could perform activities such as drafting cattle in a stock yard.

'I am researching prospects for injured farmers so they can remain productive members of their rural communities,' he said.

Contact Details:

Connie-Louise Rego, USQ Media, 07 4631 2977