INDIEGO

Mobility reimagined.

Power wheelchairs are critical in providing independence to people with mobility limitations. However, they are expensive and often not covered by insurance, limiting many users to manual wheelchairs. The IndieGo team, a very technically inclusive group, won a $1.125M grant from Google.org to develop an open-source power add-on, initially built at the Center for Discovery’s onsite maker lab, that can quickly convert any manual wheelchair into a power chair. 

Deliverables:

  • Mechanical Engineering

  • Branding

  • UXUI

  • Interface Design

  • Packaging design

  • Industrial Design

  • Electrical Engineering

Our team faced many design requirements

  • Have a maximum height of 6.5”

  • Support the use of Golden Motors brushless drive system

  • Support any wheel size from 10” to 26”

  • Allow an individual with usage of upper body to load/unload without the need for a caregiver

  • Weigh less than 35 lbs

  • Utilize components that are easily sourced—to keep the cost down

  • It is expandable and supports wheelchairs that are 16” to 26” long.

  • Support use by an individual up to 250 lbs

Inspired by speed

Over the course of 8 months, we designed and prototyped three separate iterations of the IndieGo unit, learning and pivoting with each design. The final device aesthetic has hints of automotive design, so users can feel good while using the device.