Dr Chris Underwood adapts technique used to design medical instruments (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Dr Chris Underwood adapts technique used to design medical instruments

12:30pm Sunday 14th March 2010

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A REVOLUTIONARY invention could transform the biggest sport in the world.

A Runcorn physicist has invented an innovative fishing rod, inspired by the design of medical instruments.

Dr Chris Underwood, aged 52, said: “I realised that what I had used in medical technology could be applied to the fishing rod.”

He converted the circular cross section into a triangle with rounded edges.

Dr Underwood, of D-Flex, developed his idea at Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, after taking up fly fishing.

He spent 30 years making prosthetic hearts and articificial blood vessels and realised he could adapt the same technology to develop his invention.

His rod is based on ‘a curve of constant width’, similar to the shape of a 20p coin.

“This shape is much stronger than a circle,” he said. “This is a really simple idea.

“There has been no real innovation since carbon fibre came in 30 years ago.

“But it has taken me three years to get the technology to make the rods.

“It’s tremendously exciting yet increasingly frustrating.”

His patented prototype is stronger, lighter and more flexible.

Its unique shape allows the fishing rod to bend more readily on one side whilst the other stronger side provides more power and control for casting.

He said: “I don’t want to go into manufacturing.

“I want to licence this new design tool to fishing rod manufacturers.

“Anything can be done if you have the right attitude and you’re really determined and creative.

“I’ve got my brief case in hand and I’m going to trawl the world.”

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