RIWC_PARA_A152 hacking wheelchairs with open design, digital fabrication and the maker movement

DisruptDisability@hackonwheels

The Problem

Founder and Director Rachael Wallach Cambodia, 2013

Founder and Director Rachael Wallach Cambodia, 2013

To give freedom and independence a wheelchair needs to be customized to the body, lifestyle and environment of its user.

With traditional design, manufacture and distribution customization comes with a prohibitive price.

£££

Wheelchair users have limited choice and control over customizing their wheelchairs.

Worldwide, 65 million people need a wheelchair.

8 of every 10 people who need a wheelchair cannot access one that meets their needs.

That’s 52 million people.

The Inspiration

e-NABLE

Paul, Denise & the Autodesk community

Open Bionics

The Question

What would happen if we disrupted the design,

manufacture and distribution of wheelchairs, with user innovation, open

source design and distributed manufacture?

What would happen if we created an online library of open source designs and

instructions for making fully customisable wheelchairs that anyone can freely use,

adapt and develop?

What would happen if we developed a community of

makers and people who need wheelchairs:

connected, inspired and enabled to create fully

customised wheelchairs?

The Solution

“I’m not a wheelchair user.

I wear my wheels.”

It’s not a medical device, it’s wearable

tech…

A modular design with customizable, interchangeable

parts

The wheelchair user is in control…

Wheelchair Wearer

Design

Therapist

Manufacture

Customization

Open Source Design

Library

designs with i

Virtual Wheelchair Service

Customized Wheelchairs

Open source design files for core wheelchair modules and

components

Hackathons, design challenges & a platform enable users & designers

to develop & adapt designs

Completed designs with instructions for how to make them

System and specification of wheelchair modules, components

and interfaces Fitting platform that enables the wearer to

fit and customize their wheelchair

Sensor platform that gives the wearer

feedback on correct usage

In well resourced settings individuals

select a design, customize it & send it

to a manufacturer

In less resourced settings NGOs adapt

designs through local hackathons to

enable local manufacture

Charity Company Partnerships

The Progress

120 people have attended #HackOnWheels hackathons

150 organisations supporting #HackOnWheels

1000 members of the #HackOnWheels movement

Volunteer design team creating a modular system

We’re starting to build our library on Wevolver

#HackOnWheels design brief for the RSA Student Design Awards, sponsored by GDI Hub

We’re disrupting disability.

Join us.

Twitter: @HackOnWheels

Website: www.disruptdisability.org

Email: [email protected]