Main content

Professor Heinz Wolff

Sue Lawley's castaway is scientist Professor Heinz Wolff.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the scientist Professor Heinz Wolff. He came to public attention when he presented the television programme The Great Egg Race, in which he challenged people to conquer engineering problems with a rubber band, a pencil and a pickled onion. In the 1970s while designing aids for disabled people, he devised the phrase 'Tools for Living' to describe his work. After all, as he points out, we all use tools to cope with our environment, whether as an astronaut, a diver or an elderly person.

It was his father who encouraged his enthusiasm for invention, sharing his Sunday afternoons experimenting with his chemistry set, or organising talks from physicists who had to hide their surprise at assessing the ideas of a six-year-old child. In the 80s he founded the Institute for Bioengineering at Brunel University. There he continued his inventions devising for example, a box for experimenting in outer space, a voice machine for people who can't speak and a safety system for deep-sea divers.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: The Man I Love by Joan Wolff
Book: Collection of Landscape Pictures (with book)
Luxury: A Collection Of Landscape Pictures

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 9 Jan 1998 09:05
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Glenda Jackson MP

Next

Paul Hogarth

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Eddie Calvert

    Never Say Goodbye

    • Columbia.

  • Marlene Dietrich

    Lilli Marlene

    • This Is Art Deco.
    • Columbia.

  • Elaine Paige

    Don't Cry For Me Argentina

    • Encore.
    • Warner Brothers.

  • Teresa Brewer

    Music Music Music

    • The World Of Theresa.
    • London.

  • Rod Stewart

    Sailing

    • 32 Ones On One: Radio 1's 25th Birthday.
    • Connoisseur Collection.

  • Denton and Cook

    Theme To The Great Egg Race

    • Hong Kong Beat And Other Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Themes.
    • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Records.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Joan Wolff

      The Man I Love

  • Kenny Ball & Band

    Midnight In Moscow

    • Barber Ball And Bilk.
    • K.A.Z. Records.

  • Book Choice

    • Collection of Landscape Pictures (with book)

  • Luxury Choice

    • A Collection Of Landscape Pictures

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Heinz Wolff

Broadcasts

  • Sun 4 Jan 1998 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 9 Jan 1998 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast