Les Papillons de Saint-Jacques

• The Butterflies
• Summary
• The full story from 2005 till today

The full story from 2005 till today

In the spring 2005, on the way towards Saint-James-of-Compostela, bursts the idea to organize long hikes for the People with Reduced Mobility (PRM).

After the comeback, starts a slow maturation of the initial idea, together with an overview of what already exists in this domain of activity. The result is the issuance in December 2006 of a little document introducing the company "Les Papillons de Saint-Jacques" (Les Papidjacs), in English “The Butterflies of Saint-James”. The key concept of this company lies on the realisation of a unique vehicle, not available on the market, making possible for PRM in wheelchair to pass where no other vehicle could pass, while remaining in their own chair. This vehicle is christened RandoCHAR (CHAise Roulante de RANDOnnée).

Four people team up: Henri Petit, project initiator and manager in the financial sector, David Dab, specialist in social business planning and manager in the financial sector, Michel Hemberg, builder and manager of corporations and Bernard Vanguers, medicine doctor.

First team meeting in Namur (Belgium) on 21 April 2007 to confirm the concept of long hikes for PRM, initially organised around the way towards Saint-James-of-Compostela and, in the longer run, other destinations as well. The project is structured in 4 axes:

The focus is put on the RandoCHAR without which the project would lose its originality and its essential being.

During a post-funeral reception in May 2007, Les Papidjacs and the Province of Luxembourg (Belgium) happened to come across each other via Michel Hemberg and Marc Lejeune, director of the provincial Domain of Mirwart where projects are ongoing to make the Domain accessible to the PRM a.o. for hikes on ways designed for this purpose. Those projects are sponsored by Isabelle Poncelet, the responsible Province Deputy.

A first meeting with Marc Lejeune and the Papidjacs team is organised in Mirwart on 23 June 2007 to discuss how to put together the interests and expertise in order to make the Domain of Mirwart a recognised destination for the PRM. As a result, Les Papidjacs contact and exchange practical information with three other associations specialized in the organization of hikes for PRM (Handi-Rando (“Disabled-Hike”), Les Fauteuils Volants (“The Flying Chairs”), Les Mille-Pattes (“The Millepede”)).

In the meantime, Les Papidjacs get in touch with three Belgian universities (UCL, ULB, ULG) to ask their support in the making up of the RandoCHAR. A positive meeting takes place on 10 July 2007 with the professor Paul Fisette from the « Center for Research in Mechatronics » (CEREM) of UCL. A positive meeting as well on 30 August 2007 with the professor Pierre Duysinx from the Engineering Unit for Land vehicles of the Mechanic and Civil Engineering Department of ULG. ULB declines the proposal for collaboration because the practical works for the electromechanical students are already determined for the academic year 2007-2008.

From all those contacts stems the idea to organise a competition between the electromechanical students of the two universities of the Walloon Region. The competition is planned over two years, the phase 1 (conception-design) for the academic year 2007-2008 and the phase 2 (construction of a prototype) for 2008-2009. As from 2 September 2007 the proposal of a partnership with the Province of Luxembourg is discussed with Marc Lejeune in order to strengthen the RandoCHAR project as well as boosting the « Mirwart PRM welcome » project. The idea is to set up in the Domain a trial track full of obstacles (trunk, mug puddle, ford, ruts, steep gradient up, steep gradient down, ...) firstly to test the prototype and secondly to make a permanent “sporting” tour in the Domain that could equip itself with RandoCHAR for PRM visitors. The patronage of the Province for the RandoCHAR, with the Poncelet Deputy as « godmother », could also lead to small prize money for the competition between UCL and ULG.

In September 2007, Les Papidjacs take part in one of the hikes regularly organized by Les Milles Pattes with a Joëlette, the famous vehicle equipped with one single wheel and driven by two carriers. This experience confirms the soundness of the RandoCHAR concept in particularly the necessity of a strong motorization and the assurance of a high level comfort for the PRM by maintaining a steady horizontal trim.

As from October 2007, UCL starts the RandoCHAR project. Four electromechanical students in 1st masters start the project phase 1. From the outset it is clear that the project is very ambitious and that it will be necessary to define a “reasonable” set of technical requirements.

The first meeting between Les Papidjacs and Isabelle Poncelet takes place in Mirwart on 9 November 2007. Isabelle Poncelet officially accepts the patronage of the Province of Luxembourg and her role as godmother of the RandoCHAR project.

At the beginning of February 2008, the UCL students present their pre-project. The various solutions that have been contemplated are explained as well as the resulting optimal solution which will be studied thoroughly.

ULG starts the project in their turn. A mechanical engineer in 2nd masters takes care of the « motorization » part for his thesis, while the “frame” part is covered by several students in 3rd year.

In April 2008 the ULG students present their pre-project in their turn.

On 5 May 2008 the UCL students present their final work of conception (motorization and frame)

On 23 June 2008 the ULG student presents his thesis (motorization).

The closing meeting of the phase 1 takes place on Saturday 28 June 2008 in the provincial Domain of Mirwart, with the attendance of the provincial press and a delegation of the PRM community, a.o. Les Milles-Pattes. The UCL and ULG teams present their works which give rise to a good debate. Isabelle Poncelet officially grants the prizes of the Province for the phase 1 (600 € for each team) and Marc Lejeune invites the participants to close the day with a BBQ. On Thursday 3 July 2008 the article is issued in the newspaper L’Avenir du Luxembourg.

During July 2008 various discussions take place to drawn the conclusions of the phase 1 closing day. On the one hand it is clear that the project causes a sheer interest from the PRM community, but on the other hand it is also clear that the phase 1 has showed not only the numerous possibilities but above all the technical constraints that will prevent to make the ideal RandoCHAR. Hence it will be mandatory to go through a phase 1B before starting the phase 2 (prototype).

In August 2008, UCL expresses the regret at not being able to keep on taking part in the phase 1B, considering the burden on the associated departments. The Province (I. Poncelet), Les Papidjacs (H. Petit) and ULG (Professor Duysinx) get together in Namur to discuss the way forward. The main decision is to reduce the set of requirements in terms of the precision of the suspension system to keep a permanent horizontal trim (active suspension → semi-active or passive suspension).

In September 2008, the so-called “good food walk” in Mirwart confirms that the “width” requirement is absolutely key for the RandoCHAR.

As from the beginning of September 2008, Isabelle Poncelet seeks the collaboration of the High Institutes Blaise Pascal (HEBP) and Robert Schuman (HERS) which have close links with technical schools that could potentially make the prototype. Various discussions take place about the way to set up a partnership with ULG but everything depends on the actual start of the project in ULG.

Good news in February 2009: two ULG mechanical engineer students pick up the RandoCHAR project, phase 1B, with focus on the « frame » topic to complete the « motorization » topic already well elaborated in 2008. There is a first meeting in ULG with the participation of the technical school of Pierrard (Virton-Belgium) for the phase 2 (Bernard Jacquemin, Director and Simon Mernier, Chief of Workshop). The plan is to finish the phase 1B (by ULG) and the phase 2 (by Pierrard) in parallel for the « frame » part by the end of the academic year 2008-2009 and to add the motor into the prototype by the end of the 1st semester of the year 2009-2010.

In March 2009 one makes the spotting of an obstacles track in Mirwart to test the prototype. There are 5 families of obstacles:

Difficulties pop up as the project in ULG goes along. It won’t be possible to go below 1 m 30 in width and 3 m 60 in length. However they find a 360° suspension system (rolling and pitching), which strongly improves the solution proposed by UCL during the phase 1 (dynamic rolling, static pitching).

On 18 June 2009 the ULG students present their conception work (frame).

On 18 August 2009 a status meeting takes place in Liège after the phase 1B, with professor Duysinx seconded by a student of his, the representatives of Pierrard (Bernard Jacquemin and Simon Mernier), Isabelle Poncelet and Henri Petit. Serious technical difficulties remain (width, length, height). On top of that, ULG says they can no longer contribute to the project. After discussion, it seems that the best option is the full taking over of the project (finalise the phase 1B by setting up a hierarchy of criteria, for instance width before length, and phase 2 afterwards) by Blaise Pascal, so with the participation of the Engineering School in the finalisation of the phase 1B. The Engineering Department give their agreement in the beginning of September.

On 19 January 2010, all the stakeholders (HEBP, the Province, Les Papidjacs) get together to take stock. The initial plan to entrust an Erasmus Scottish student with the RandoCHAR project failed because this student had to go back home for family reason. On 12 March 2010, just after the meeting between the enterprises and the high school institutes of the province of Luxembourg in Pierrard, Vincent Pairon (Director of the Engineering Department), Michel Sanchez (Head of Research Centre), Isabelle Poncelet and Henri Petit get together and decide to adopt a new planning. The finalisation of the phase 1B will resume in September (comprehensive and detailed conception factored into CATIA¹) and will be followed by the making of the prototype (phase 2) in the second semester. The students will consider as well the possibility to carry on the project by an industrialisation and marketing phase under the form of a FIRST² project.

On 29 September 2010 a new coordination meeting takes place in Pierrard with Isabelle Poncelet, Henri Petit, Vincent Pairon, Michel Bernard (new Head of Research Centre and Multidiscipline Workshop), Alain Bernet (professor), Pierre Steffen (professor in charge of the RandoCHAR project) and the 4 second master students assigned on the project. The set of requirements is reviewed thoroughly. The students will start from the solution proposed by ULG while striving to improve it as well as moving the detailed description of the solution forward. This work will end by mid December 2010.

In parallel, the Research Centre will seek the collaboration of an industrial partner that could be associated in the project in order to file a FIRST application by March 2011. The FIRST project, with typical 2-year duration, will be the last step towards the realisation of the RandoCHAR. The potential realisation of a prototype in the second semester will be discussed later on, depending on the progress of the design finalisation.

On 10 November the same people meet again for an intermediary status. The students present the result of their thoughts and are already in the position to present very promising improvements in terms of the management of the trim (a fix knuckle will support the weight of the chair, so that the jacks will just have to assure the horizontality) and the size of the vehicle (back to 1m20 in width instead of 1m30).

The 21 December the 4 students stand up for their project in front of the academic jury. The improvements disclosed in November are confirmed. The conception work is however not completed yet and several points are still to be studied, among others the feasibility of making the whole frame in aluminium. The meeting goes on with a discussion about the fate of the RandoCHAR project. All the stakeholders attending the meeting (the professors Pairon, Bernard and Steffen, Isabelle Poncelet and two members of Les Papidjacs, Henri Petit and Bernard Vanguers) confirm their willingness to carry on the adventure. Pierrard will take care of the preparation of a FIRST application which needs to be filed with the Walloon Region by mid-February, with a decision expected by June. If the RandoCHAR³ is selected, the researcher will start in September 2011 with the coaching of Professor Bernard’s Research Centre.

In the meantime, Pierrard will seek the collaboration of an Erasmus student to progress the project for instance in the study of an aluminium-made frame. This action is also considered as the initiation of a plan B if the decision of the Walloon Region happened to be negative.

On 13 January 2011, the Provincial Government of the Province of Luxembourg decides:

On 17 February 2011 the FIRST High Institute RANDOCAR application is filed with the Walloon Region. The project benefits from the collaboration of CMI-EMI⁴, a firm operating in the field of special vehicles for more than 30 years.

Nine associations involved in the PRM community bring also their written support to the project: Mutualité Chrétienne, Altéo, QUALIAS, Sésame, AP3, Wallopoly, L’APeCH, Horizon 2000, Ligue IMC.

In May, despite the real interest for the RandoCHAR and the fact that it will be a world novelty as acknowledged by PICARRE⁵, the Region decides not to select the project for a FIRST financing. This prevents to hire a full-time researcher. As a consequence, the stakeholders make up their mind to carry on the project during the 2011-2012 academic year along the following lines:

On 28 October 2011, Les Papidjacs, which were so far a mere de facto association, are transformed into a NFPO under Belgian law (n° enterprise 840.729.880). As a consequence, the company decides to buy the www.lespapidjacs.be address on top of the free web sites .eu and .com used since 2007.

On 1st December, a status meeting takes place at the CMI premises in Aubange. The HEBP students present the status of their work which is planned to finish by the end of the month. CMI confirms their full support to the project and in particular the technical support to the student Benjamin Hubert who will carry on the project as his thesis from 2012. Professor Bernard’s Research Centre keeps the project leadership and commits to work out the global planning aiming at delivering the first RandoCHAR prototype.

On 7 May 2012, a new status meeting takes place with representatives of HENALLUX⁶, CMI and Les Papidjacs. New improvements are brought again, in terms of the RandoCHAR trim. The decision is made to develop two versions of RandoCHAR: the standard version at a minimum price (for instance with standard electric batteries), and the deluxe version developed without any cost constraint. According to the new global planning, the prototype is expected to be delivered in 2014.

In September 2012, the www.lespapidjacs.be site is fully revamped and updated.

In the first quarter of the academic year 2012-2013, two teams of HENNALUX students take over the RandoCHAR file in the frame of their multidiscipline workshops. The first team focuses on the frame, the second one on the stability of the trim. On 17 December 2012, they present their works. The technical solutions are becoming more and more precise.

On 1 March 2013, status meeting with representatives of HENALLUX (Michel Bernard and Julien Lecointre) and Les Papidjacs (Isabelle Poncelet, Henri Petit, Bernard Vanguers). After the recent works by the HENNALUX students, there are basically two pending points:

   → The compliance analysis of the RandoCHAR against the various security standards; this will be the last contribution of the HENNALUX students during the 1st quarter of the academic year 2013-2014. Les Papidjacs will have to finance the purchase of 5 to 10 standards (at about 150€/standard)

   → The validation of the motorisation solution (engine and batteries) by a specialised company; the professors Bernard and Lecointre plan to consult in June the Green Propulsion company (www.greenpropulsion.be). This will entail about 5.000€ of additional cost to be supported by Les Papidjacs

If those two actions do not result in a major change of the current design, it will finally be possible to start the construction of the prototype. This will call for the hiring of a full-time researcher in collaboration with CMI. The related cost will be in the 60-100.000€ range, including about 15-20.000€ for the hardware and 2.000€ for the security certification by a firm like Vincotte.

On 10 May 2013, Les Papillons de Saint-Jacques hold their General Meeting. Decision is made to use own funds for the financing of the two pending points, as described in the March 1st meeting. As for the financing of the prototype, three avenues will be pursued in parallel: contact with the Regional Minister of Sports for a financing via the ordinary budget for PRM sport activities, contact with David Dab for a financing via his network of « business angels » and contact with the Regional Department in charge of R&D projects subsidised by European funds.

On 30 December 2013, Les Papillons de Saint-Jacques hold an extended Board Meeting with Julien Lecointre from HENALLUX as special guest. The first financing avenue mentioned during the 10 May 2013 General Meeting lead to a too limited financing via APE points (Aide Promotion Emploi i.e. Job Promotion Support) for a potential maximum amount of 18.000€/year during 2 years. The second avenue lead to nothing. The third avenue via the Regional Department in charge of R&D seems very promising for a cofinancing up to 75% for “a technical feasibility study before the development of a product or a new service”. The decision is made to pursue this single avenue and to contact the responsible person of the Regional Department in order to check the eligibility criteria. The NFPO will finance the remaining 25% with its own funds and via a fund raising campaign from businesses and grand public. In order to do so it will be necessary to prepare a file to the attention of the Minister of Finance to be granted the fiscal deduction for the donations. The Board decides as well that the time has come to launch the process to get the protection of the RandoCHAR trademark.

On 30 May 2013, Les Papillons de Saint-Jacques hold their General Meeting. Discussion about the status of the three main files:

   → Protection of the RandoCHAR trademark: per contact with a specialised firm, it was made clear that it is not possible to record the RandoCHAR because it is composed with two common language words. Hence it was necessary to change the name and to do so the Board organised a contest to select a new name. Out of 23 proposals, the wording “Papidjac” got the absolute majority in the first round of election. As a consequence the General Meeting decides to get rid of the RandoCHAR and adopt the Papidjac. The “Papidjac” trademark will be recorded in the class 12 (vehicles) in the 28 countries of the European Union for a 10-year period and a cost of 2,000€. The trademark will be recorded together with its logo for which a professional graphic designer has just been hired.

   → Fiscal deduction: the file will be ready once the 2014-2015 budget is worked out and approved.

   → Cofinancing by the Regional Department: after contact with the Department Head, the Board is currently working out the file which calls for new contacts with HENALLUX, Green Propulsion and CMI. As for the 25% to be financed by the ASBL, a file will be prepared as well for the Elia⁷ Funds which grants financing (up to 15,000€) for “projects providing PRM with original discovery in leisure, tourism, culture and sports”.

On 7 June 2014 the file for fiscal deduction is sent out.

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