Designability
Designability is a UK-based charity that has dedicated the last 50 years to co-designing products and solutions with disabled people to deliver greater independence. From its Wizzybug Loan Scheme, which provides fun, powered wheelchairs free of charge to children under five, to advocating for better accessibility on Electric Vehicle (EV) charging designs, the organisation’s focus is on human-centric design. Here, Laura Griffiths speaks to Dario Canini, Senior Design Engineer at Designability about where 3D printing fits in, and why accessibility should be an imperative design consideration.
TCT: Tell us about your role and how you came to Designability?
DC: My name is Dario Canini, and I have been working at Designability since 2021 as the Engineering Innovation Manager. I joined Designability during the Covid-19 pandemic. Towards the end of 2020, I faced a significant issue with my eyes, and it was only thanks to new technology and a dedicated doctor that I managed to resolve it. After this experience, I realised that volunteering for various organisations to help people was no longer enough for me. I wanted to dedicate 100% of my time and use all my engineering skills for this purpose. I had the opportunity to meet the Designability team at an event in Bristol. When they opened an engineering position, I applied immediately, and now, after more than two years, I am very happy and proud of my choice. If I were to describe my role, I would say that I lead the process that transforms a conceptual idea into a finished product. We are a small but highly skilled team, and we can cover all aspects from research to production.
TCT: Can you walk us through how new projects come about and where you start?
DC: At Designability, we use a ‘personcentred design’ approach for our projects which means that all of our projects start with requests or feedback that we receive from disabled individuals or organisations. First of all, we try to understand if we can support, improve an existing product, or develop something entirely new. In the initial phase, every project involves most of the departments within Designability. We need to ensure that we consider all aspects, from clinical to production. This is a lengthy but crucial process as it establishes a strong foundation for future projects. Personally, when I embark on a new project, I immerse myself in the problem. It's essential to step out of my comfort zone and educate myself about the different types of people who will use the final product.
For example, when I started the pushchair project for wheelchair users, I had never used a wheelchair. My first action was to borrow a wheelchair and use it daily. I went to the park with my son, visited the supermarket, took the bus—essentially, I tried to understand what life was like with a wheelchair. I aimed to empathise with the end user. While I knew this was only a simulation, it was fundamental for understanding user feedback and opening my mind to the problem.
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TCT: I noticed an element of 3D printing in the wheelchair-attachable pushchair project. Could you explain what, how, and why 3D printing was used?
DC: 3D printing technology plays a fundamental role in all project phases, from concept to pre-production. In the pushchair for wheelchair users project, we used 3D printing for all initial concepts, and the quality was so high that users could immediately assess the parts and provide feedback on usability. Years ago, a similar process would have required time and resources to machine the parts, but now, with a limited budget, we can regularly interact with users and refine the concept in all aspects before machining the final part. In this specific project, we used 3D printing not only for printing concepts but also for producing parts that would typically require injection moulding technology or specific tools. We incorporated these parts into the first prototype that users tested in September 2022 during the initial user trial session. Even though I had already used 3D technology for structural parts, I am continually amazed by the advancements in this technology year after year.
TCT: How extensively is 3D printing leveraged in the product development cycle?
DC: After this project, I can guarantee that 3D printing technology is not limited to just prototyping. Before any pushchair moves into production, it must pass the BS EN 1888 standard, which certifies various aspects, including stability and brakes, essentially all safety aspects. Our pushchair successfully passed all tests, and the most critical parts for the brake are produced using 3D printing technology. You can easily identify these parts in the product photos, such as the handle brake case and the brake cog part.
TCT: A benefit of 3D printing is the ability to mass customise. Is there an opportunity to create products that are better tailored or personalised to people's needs?
DC: Absolutely. Let me give you an example: many wheelchair users like to personalise their commercial wheelchairs or develop their wheelchairs according to their aesthetic preferences or desires. In the latter case, all wheelchair frames have different geometries and shapes. With 3D printing, we can print spacers to adapt our connectors to customers' wheelchair frames quickly, without the need for special tools and at a low cost. 3D printing is the ideal technology for giving people the freedom to customise or personalise their own objects.
TCT: What are your thoughts on how current product design for everyday items considers accessibility?
DC: I believe that current product design is beginning to consider accessibility more seriously, but we are only at the beginning of this journey. Many aspects are still not adequately addressed, and regrettably, too many people continue to face limitations in their lives due to these oversights. The accessible pushchair project serves as a clear example: there are hundreds of different pushchair models on the market, yet it is estimated that there are over 16,000 disabled parents or carers of children aged 0-3 years in the UK who are manual wheelchair users, and there is no available product worldwide to meet their needs. This represents a significant limitation for disabled people.
TCT: In Designability's recent blog about making electric vehicle charging more accessible, several design challenges were identified. How important is it for these considerations to be integrated into initial design stages? And as we transition to next-gen technologies like EV, do you see an even greater opportunity to break away from traditional product design practices and create products that better cater to diverse needs?
DC: It is of utmost importance that these considerations are integrated into the initial stages of the design process. Currently, it seems that considering accessibility is seen as an optional aspect of product design. It's crucial for everyone to understand that accessibility should not be optional; it should be the foremost consideration in all projects. Thanks to my experience at Designability, I cannot imagine developing a product without considering accessibility. Designability and I believe that this aspect is so critical that we introduced a person centred design module at the University of Bath. We aim to provide students with the opportunity to learn the right approach to developing projects that place real people at the centre of the development process.
TCT: Is there a particular project or success story that you are most proud of?
DC: Honestly, I am proud of all my projects. I consider my projects like my children—born, grown, and becoming independent. However, there are three projects that hold a special place in my heart for different reasons.
The last project that I developed in Italy with my father, which involved creating a domestic blast chiller. When I was younger, I wasn't sure if I could become an engineer, and throughout my education, my parents provided massive support. I spent months working closely with my father, sharing ideas and traveling long distances to meet the client. By the end of this project, I had transformed from an insecure engineer needing to learn and find my way to a confident engineer who had successfully developed an idea. I will treasure this time and project for the rest of my life.
The first project where I independently handled all mechanical aspects for a UK medical company. It involved developing a reprocessing endoscope machine, and after several years, it has become the best-selling product in Europe and is ready for global distribution.
The pushchair project for wheelchair users. This project fills me with immense pride because every time I meet a user, I witness the positive impact it has on their lives. During one of our recent user trials, we received feedback such as:
"To leave the house, I need to find someone to help me push the pram. I can't just go to the park or shops. I become a sideline watcher to my child."
"On the days when my babies wouldn't sleep, I wished I could walk them around the block to calm them."
"It's like the change when you get your first car. Suddenly, you are free to do what you want, whenever you want. True freedom."
This feedback alone vividly illustrates why I am so proud of this project and the Designability team.
I would also like to make a small observation about 3D printing in these three projects. The first project took place in 2007, while the most recent was in the present. In the first project, I used 3D printing only for early prototypes of some small components. However, in the last project, we used 3D printing to meet the BS standard. I can confidently say that my engineering journey has evolved alongside advancements in 3D printing technologies. The next step for the accessible pushchair design is to find a licensing partner who will enable us to get it manufactured and available for parents and carers to purchase.
