Tag Archives: fun

DIY with Duck (Duct) Tape

Whether you’ve got a bike, scooter, walker or wheelchair, duct tape is a seriously cheap and fast way to personalize any ride. No longer limited to that traditional grey, this strong adhesive product now comes in like a bazillion varieties of colours and sizes!

Duck Tape has leveraged the versatility of their brand to meet the needs of a growing number of DIY’s (do-it-yourselfers). They have a massive selection for people to choose from for repairs, crafts, labeling and decorating purposes. You can buy transparent tints, mini-rolls, sheets, and specialty duct tape—even scented and glow-in-the-dark products now exist!

Using duct tape as a tool for personalization is both accessible and affordable and the fact that is so durable and waterproof is an added bonus.  I recently came across these sweet rides that were decorated with duct tape – check them out!

I pulled up beside this sweet ride the other day and she told me "I started by fixing my seat and then loved it so much just kept taping! Hides the rust too!”

I pulled up beside this ride the other day and she explained her use of Duck Tape:  “I started by fixing my seat and then loved it so much just kept taping! Hides the rust too!”

This guy was in front of me at the border. He told me through his open window that he's "always been an outdoor guy."

Saw this camouflage scooter in front of me at the border. The guy inside told me through his open window that he thinks the tape is a great improvement “I’ve always been an outdoor guy.”

 

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Filed under Art, DIY, Mobility Aids, Posts

Fred

Fred built and painted this frame for his scooter to keep him protected from the weather and to have a 'stage' to decorate with all the fun and colourful toys he buys from the dollar store. You'll hear Fred coming because he's also hooked up an awesome sound system and two horns on his ride.

Fred built and painted this frame for his scooter to keep him protected from the weather and to have a ‘stage’ to decorate with all the fun and colourful toys he buys from the dollar store. You’ll hear Fred coming because he’s also hooked up an awesome sound system and two horns on his ride.

Detailed top of scooter

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July 29, 2015 · 4:52 pm

Dr. Who, Halloween, and the most awesome wheelchair costumes!

How does all this fit together?

1. It’s the 50th anniversary of Dr. Who! The long running BBC science fiction tv series about the adventures of a time-traveling humanoid alien known as the Doctor. My brother and I seriously loved this show when we were kids – it has great characters and some seriously creative low-tech special effects!

2. Dr. Who travels in this super cool ship – the TARDIS – a time machine that is bigger on the inside than the outside.

The TARDIS used from 2005 to 2010

The TARDIS used from 2005 to 2010

3. It was Halloween a few weeks ago and I’ve started to notice an awesome trend toward Wheelchair Costumes (what a great idea!).  There are lots of great ones out there, but one of my all time favourites is from the UK of Dr. Who and his TARDIS!

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Filed under Design, DIY, Inspirational, Mobility Aids, Personal Stories, personalizing, Photos, Posts, Recreation, Uncategorized

Personalized Prosthetics – What’s your fancy?

Video: Woman builds prosthetic leg out of Lego - The Globe and Mail

Occupational therapist Christina Stephens designed and built her own lego leg – Cool! You can watch how she does this in her time-lapse video that went viral this past summer –

Personalized prosthetics serve many purposes beyond function – not only can they get people where they need to go, they do so with style, with fun, with flare, and yes with FASHION. Check out the ‘alternative limb project’ where consumers are participants in the design process selecting pieces that either “blend in with the body or stand out as unique pieces of art, reflecting the wearers imagination, personality, and interests”.

Floral SocketChrystalized LegPersonalized prosthetics, like personalized mobility devices, not only delight the eye, they help to break down social barriers by promoting conversation, admiration and interest. 

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Filed under Articles, Barriers, Design, DIY, Inspirational, Personal Stories, personalizing, Photos, Posts, Projects, Uncategorized, Videos

Wheelchair-Bound Teen Makes History In The World Of Extreme Sports

“A lot of people think of the wheelchair as a medical instrument,” says Aaron Fatheringham a young man born with spina bifida who ‘tricked out’ his chair to accommodate his passion for extreme sports  “I think that’s wrong. You know, why not think of it as something fun?”. 

Flip

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Filed under Barriers, Inspirational, Personal Stories, personalizing, Posts, Quotes, Sports, Uncategorized

The Samsonite Micro Suitcase Scooter – Smart AND Sexy!

Our ability to get where we need to go is an essential part of life . Getting there WITH our STUFF is critical to this! I mean who doesn’t need to at least carry their wallet, sunglasses, keys, phone and book while out and about? Occupational and physiotherapists tell me that the NUMBER ONE reason why people refuse a motorized wheelchair and instead choose a scooter – even if their healthcare provider is recommending the wheelchair – is because “THERE IS A BASKET ON THE FRONT”! Are you telling me we can’t figure this out?

Check out the suitcase scooter in action – fun, fashion and function at its best!

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Filed under Design, personalizing, Posts, Uncategorized, Videos

Wei Yen – function and FUN

Wei Yen uses her foot horn to let people know she is coming - so smart!

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!

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Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Videos

Good Design Meets People IN their Lives

Mosses, Uganda

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.

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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!

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Filed under Accessibility, Design, Mobility Aids, personalizing, Posts, Projects

Now look who’s in charge of the streets!

Now who's in charge of the streets! .37.32 AMA GREAT laugh and a fantastic way to point out some the challenges our seniors face everyday!

Check this out on YouTube!

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Filed under Accessibility, Mobility Aids, Posts, Videos