When it comes to wheelchair design and the comfort of those who use them, the footrest is often an overlooked but crucial element. For persons with disabilities, particularly children, the footrest plays a significant role in ensuring both comfort and long-term health. Whether you are using a wheelchair temporarily or permanently, the footrest is vital in preventing a wide range of complications and promoting overall well-being. When this part of the wheelchair does not fit p

Every $1 invested in assistive technology returns $9 to society. This is based on research by AT Scale. In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology allows us to overcome challenges that were serious only a few years ago. For example, navigation with a smart phone is so much easier than with paper maps. Technology also allows us to overcome challenges related to our changing bodies, possibly because of chronic illnesses, an age-related impairment, or for persons with disabi

In the sleek showrooms in some parts of the world, an electric wheelchair represents the ultimate freedom. But transport that same chair to a city dealing with frequent power grid collapses, or a rural village off the grid entirely, and it quickly transforms from a vehicle into a several-hundred-pound paperweight. While the world pushes for smart cities and electric everything, we are overlooking a hard truth: In much of the world, high-tech is low-reliability. The Grid Gap:

For many individuals, a wheelchair is not just a tool for transportation, it is their primary seat, their office, their relaxation space, and their interface with the world. When a person spends the majority of their waking hours in a seated position, conventional wheelchairs often fail to provide the necessary support for long-term health and comfort. This is where the tilt-in-space wheelchair becomes a transformative solution. By allowing the entire seating system to reorie

In honor of World Assistive Technology Day, we shine a light on two passionate changemakers whose vision and commitment are redefining what is possible for people with disabilities across the globe. A Vision Rooted in Purpose For Keoke King and Dave Calver, co-founders of Participant Assistive Products, assistive technology isn’t just a product category, it’s a personal mission. It’s a way to ensure dignity, independence, and inclusion for people who have been left out for f

The cost of inaccessibility is more than just money. It’s the missed opportunities, the isolation, the pain, and the loss of dignity that comes from being without a wheelchair when you truly need one. For millions of people around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries, the simple fact of not having a wheelchair affects every part of life, from health to education, from family relationships to economic independence. In this article, we will take a closer lo

When choosing a wheelchair, it’s tempting to think that any model will do the job. After all, they all provide mobility, right? But in reality, selecting the wrong wheelchair, especially for outdoor use, can significantly reduce your independence, safety, and quality of life. Many people unknowingly purchase chairs that aren’t built for outdoor terrain, leading to frustration, discomfort, and even injury. Let’s break down why using an indoor (or transport) wheelchair outside

Wheelchair innovations around the world are changing people’s lives. And, this is exciting to see. Recent advancements in wheelchair design are improving mobility and independence and also changing how society perceives persons with disabilities. Wheelchairs are innovative inventions to help persons with disabilities regain independence and mobility access. Research organizations are developing advanced technologies that will change how wheelchairs are utilized. As a result,

For more than forty years, Erik Kondo has dedicated himself to improving personal mobility for himself and for others using manual wheelchairs. His journey began in 1984 when he became a wheelchair user, igniting a lifelong commitment to advocate for innovative and adaptable wheelchair solutions. Through his experience, Kondo has championed an important mission: wheelchairs should not be seen merely as medical equipment but as essential tools for enabling independence and mob

This initiative is a systemic disruption of the Assistive Technology (AT) market which will allow a leap forward in the quality of care available to children and adults. By leveraging the harmonized logistics of the European Single Market and the digital scalability of AI-driven clinical support, we are bridging the wide gap between cheap disposable AT, like pharmacy crutches, and shockingly high cost AT procured by wealthy governments. Participant, a Benefit Corporation, is

In a world increasingly interconnected, it’s a sad reality that access to essential products often remains uneven, particularly when it comes to medical devices. For millions of people living in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), the journey towards independence and participation can be hampered not just by a lack of resources, but by a stark global disparity in the quality and availability of assistive technology. We’ve all seen it: a company sells a premium product in

Karim in his Cub Wheelchair In the world of pediatric development, we often talk about milestones: the first word, the first step, the first day of school. But for a child with a physical disability, there is a milestone that is rarely listed in the medical textbooks, yet it is equally important: The first time they sit at eye level with their peers. At Participant Assistive Products, we believe that a wheelchair for a child is not just a way to get from Point A to Point B. I

For anyone, a visit to see the doctor can be overwhelming. All the information is a real challenge to remember. On top of that, imagine the visit is for your child who has a rare disease, needs frequent and complicated care, and the doctor is quite far away. These are just some of the challenges that children and caregivers face with Cerebral Palsy and other mobility limiting disabilities. On top of that, if the child is provided a wheelchair, the maintenance can become a hea

Djamila Moussa lives in Niamey, at the edge of the Sahara desert, and works as an artisan craftswoman. She enjoys playing basketball in her free time and caring for her two daughters. A little over a year ago, she started using a Wildebeest wheelchair, which has wide tires and seemed like a good idea in the sandy city. To the north is the Sahara desert and the Savanna is to the south. This massive, semi-arid transition zone is called the Sahel and it stretches from Senegal in

Following the World Health Organization’s call for manufacturers to offer affordable assistive products, Participant developed the Cub to fill a widely acknowledged product gap. Cub is a modular, folding, tilt-in-space wheelchair with a full range of postural support devices and good all-terrain performance. The Cub will be offered with tiered pricing to be affordable for children everywhere. Through a co-creative process, the design received input from over 200 people from 4