Student invents escalator that can transport wheelchairs

It's also energy efficient. (A photo can be found at the link).

Moving plates form a platform to carry wheelchairs on the escalator, invented by Jesus Sanchez for his final graduate thesis at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Sanchez is looking for investors.

The most obviously clever part of the design is its steps. Normally, the escalator's steps are of a standard width. But at the push of a button, three steps come together, to create a platform that's perfectly sized for a wheelchair.

As Sánchez points out, such a dual-purpose escalator could present significant cost savings for builders who would otherwise have to install an elevator.

via FastCompany.com