'Beam me up, Dotty!' Star Trek-style home elevator hopes to replace stairlifts

A British company is hoping to replace stairlifts used by elderly people around the world with futuristic, Star Trek-style home elevators.

Terry Lifts' elevator can fit into the corner of a room and ascends through a hole in the ceiling with no lift shaft required.

"You could describe it as a high-end chair lift. People don't want, in many cases, a chair-lift on their beautiful staircase and they don't necessarily want a lift; it's about looking at the lift for the long-term future proofing the property. And unlike a stairlift which is a permanent feature on your staircase, the lift can be sent away when you don't need it - so it's never the elephant in the room," said John McSweeney, the company's founder.

Terry Lifts says a complete installation will take 4 to 5 days, including all building and electrical preparation work.

The device's design has earned it comparisons to everything ranging from a shower cubicle to Star Trek transporters.