WalkEase
Industrial & Inclusive Product Design
"Inclusive mobility for independent play."
Children with disabilities deserve to play. Most playgrounds won't let them.
(The Problem)
In India, children with physical disabilities are largely excluded from playground activity. Equipment assumes able-bodied users, and a caregiver must always be present — so children lose not just play, but independence, social connection and therapeutic movement.
(The Research)
My primary users couldn't articulate their own needs, so I designed through observation, caregiver interviews and medical consultations across three sites — Karunanjali Special School, Abhisar Foundation and MIMER Hospital. A stakeholder map showed a viable product had to satisfy medical, educational and commercial needs at once.
(The Design)
Biomechanical study showed rigid braces restrict motion — support should follow the body, not fight it. WalkEase is a lightweight, adjustable wearable: contoured supports follow the calf and thigh, a flexible footplate gives stability, and straps fit in under a minute, letting children play longer without constant adult help.
(Testing Changed It)
I built full-scale prototypes — cardboard first, then durable materials — and tested with children at rehabilitation centres and special schools. Their feedback reshaped it: freedom at the knee, an adjustable footplate angle, and a look that reads as playground equipment, not a clinical device.
