Wei Yen hand stitched her wheelchair cover and added many other accessories that make her mobility device more functional AND fun. Check out her foot pedal horn!
Category Archives: Posts
Wei Yen – function and FUN
Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Videos
Lady Gaga’s Pimped Up and Personalized Gold Wheelchair: A 24-Karat ‘Chariot’
Recovering from recent hip surgery for an inflammatory joint infection called synovitis, the superstar was originally given a more traditional wheelchair which she affectionately named ‘Emma’. Not wanting to give up her style however (who does?!), Lady Gaga commissioned jewelry designer Ken Borochov to design the leather-tufted chair that features a removable canopy. Now THAT’s more like it girl – “P-p-p-poker face, p-p-poker face – Mum mum mum mah”…
Filed under Accessibility, Articles, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts
Good Design Meets People IN their Lives
Mosses, Uganda
Good design meets people within the context of their lives. It prioritizes the social as well as the physical circumstances and needs of the individual.
The folks at Motivation – an international development charity supporting people with mobility disabilities – get this. With a focus on SURVIVAL, MOBILITY, EMPOWERMENT, and INCLUSION, they design and distribute high-quality, low-cost wheelchairs, tricycles and supportive seating products specifically for use in developing countries.
In North America we spend a lot of time and resources developing mobility devices that function – mechanically – really well. We spend far less time however, considering how well these same devices function within the social and cultural spaces of people’s lives. There is much we can learn from organizations like Motivation.
Filed under Accessibility, Barriers, Design, Mobility Aids, Posts, Projects, Videos
Art-a-Ride ~ Creating personalized wheelchair experiences
Benja loved showing off his newly pimped up chair to his friends. He now has a dragon snake tattooed all around that opens its mouth as the wheels turn, and several customized-by-friends accessories using velcro, and other material, enriching his wheelchair experience! His mom simply posted a message on Facebook saying “I’m starting a new project for Benja’s b’day, want to contribute to an art-a-ride project?”. It’s this simple and easy, help us spread the word.
Art-a-Ride connects creative people with kids with disabilities to turn their factory looking – medicalized – wheelchairs that highlight their limitations, into interesting, meaningful, and in the case of Benja here – super cool – “rides”.
The final co-creations, according to founder Eva de Lera, have a profound impact on the kids, their lives, and the lives of their families. How amazing!
I’ve talked about this before, personalizing mobility aids is a form of self-expression that is not only good for our health and the health of those around us, its also really fun!
Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Projects
Overcrowding on public transit is NOT a new problem – Let’s FIGURE IT OUT!
The recent debate about stroller crowding on the TTC in Toronto highlights ongoing problems with both the TTC AND with US. This is what I see needs doing:
1. Increase the capacity of the system
2. Improve the design of transit vehicles
3. Be nicer!
The TTC is working on the first two – the third is up to us!
An accessible, efficient, and FRIENDLY public transportation system is a sign of a great city. Let’s figure this out TO!
Filed under Accessibility, Barriers, Design, Inaccessible, News, Posts
Design that compels us to think… and maybe even act
Jeseok Yi produces powerful messages for social change that not only stop and make you think in that moment, but will follow you long after that…
Toronto’s MANY mountains include this entrance to the Yorkdale Subway Station
Filed under Accessibility, Design, Photos, Posts
Softwalks: Turning Scaffolding into Pop-up Parks with Resting Places
This start up has ALL the right ideas! Scaffolding is not only UGLY, it creates significant barriers for people with mobility challenges including older folks, people with disabilities and parents with strollers. I lived in NYC for 5 years and would avoid sidewalks lined with scaffolding whenever possible because it was so unpleasant and felt even scary and dangerous sometimes. Resting places like these are essential for those of us who can’t quite ‘make it all the way’ and health-promoting for all of us as they provide opportunities for social interaction. Way to go SOFTWALKS!
Filed under Accessibility, Articles, Photos, Posts, Projects
Now look who’s in charge of the streets!
A GREAT laugh and a fantastic way to point out some the challenges our seniors face everyday!
Filed under Accessibility, Mobility Aids, Posts, Videos
THE MAN WHO LIVED ON HIS BIKE
“I love being on a bike. It helps me feel free. I get it from my dad.”
Guillaume Blanchet lives on his bike for a year and dedicates this video and his love of cycling to his 64 year old father who has been riding his bike over 120,000km!
Filed under Mobility Aids, Personal Stories, personalizing, Posts, Videos
Paralympic Athletes – Now these guys can move!
The good news? We’re getting better about recognizing, supporting and celebrating paralympic athletes!
The bad news? We have a LONG way to go for equal coverage. Case in point – Canadian newspapers printed 332 front page stories on the London Olympics and just 22 (!) on the Paralympics. Come on Canada – we’re better than that! To see other stats on our poor showing check out the post from Senator Mobina Jaffer.
Filed under Mobility Aids, Posts, Videos
The Mobility Project 