As children with muscular dystrophy lose their freedom of movement, premature wheelchair use widens the social gap with their peers and accelerates the disease by limiting activity and play. The MIDWAY tricycle provides a versatile, ergonomic and cost-effective mobility solution for children with and without muscular dystrophy, encouraging physical activity, social inclusion and play through its adaptable design.
The Duchenne Parent Project asked me to design a product to improve the daily life of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Through co-creation with children, interviews with families and therapists, observation, and literature research, we identified a key issue: as children with Duchenne lose mobility, their peers gain significantly more freedom. During their critical social development, children with Duchenne are placed in wheelchairs prematurely, which limits their physical activity and therefore their ability to participate in play, increases social stigma, and makes them more dependent on others. The lack of intermediate mobility solutions forces children into wheelchairs too early, exacerbating muscle wasting and increasing the social gap with their peers. The aim was to create a new mobility aid that provides sufficient postural support, wheelchair-like stability and manoeuvrability, while encouraging physical activity, play and social inclusion.
Delft University of Technology, 2018
For: Duchenne Parent Project
Project duration: 12 weeks
The result is MIDWAY, a playful (electric) tricycle designed to bridge the mobility gap between children with and without muscular disabilities. It is characterised by its versatility, offering three modes of use: a kick scooter (with or without electric assistance), a push bike and a fully electric tricycle. The design encourages maximum physical activity, freedom and play. The tricycle adapts and grows with the user’s different stages of illness and need for assistance. The seat provides the ergonomic position needed for children with Duchenne. The manoeuvrability of the tricycle is as good as that of a children’s wheelchair, but the width is slightly smaller, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The Midway tricycle allows children to engage in risk-taking play with their peers, reducing social isolation and feelings of loneliness.
I tested the MIDWAY prototype with children affected by muscular dystrophy, their peers and their families. Its foldable design, multiple configurations and manoeuvrability were particularly praised for significantly improving daily mobility and family life. The electric rear-wheel steering system provides wheelchair-like manoeuvrability at speeds below 5 km/h and bicycle-like stability at higher speeds, encouraging safer risk-taking during play. The in height-adjustable seat supports correct posture, which is essential for children with Duchenne, and folds into the frame for easy transition between modes. Production costs were calculated and estimated to be 15% of a dedicated children’s wheelchair.
The project was chosen for further development by the client. The project led to an invitation to co-author a manifesto on ‘Design for Children with Diverse Abilities’ in collaboration with Spierfonds Nederland, highlighting its influence in promoting inclusive design principles. MIDWAY embodies a significant step forward in creating more inclusive, enjoyable and supportive environments for children with and without different abilities.
