Wheelchairs are rarely as comfortable as you’d like. You either have to settle for a generic design or wait ages for a custom model that might still be a little awkward. However, London design firm Layer might have a better way: it’s unveiling Go, a prototype wheelchair that could be easier to live with. The design has manufacturers scanning your body so that they can 3D-print seats and footrests that match your exact dimensions. It’d be more comfortable, of course, but it’d also account for your weight and create an ifree patent search center of gravity that reduces the chances of tipping over or sliding.
It’s too soon to say when you’ll see chairs like Go on the market. However, this is very much designed to become a practical idea, not a theoretical exercise. Layer estimates that it’d take just two weeks to complete a custom wheelchair versus as many as eight through traditional methods. If Go or something likes it goes into service, tailor-made chairs could be relatively commonplace.
