Sleek, Ergonomic Lightweight Rollator – Modern, Safe & Space‑Saving Design
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Medical Devices Design
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bryanf
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Description:
BACKGROUNDWe’re on a mission to transform aging by reimagining mobility devices for people with limited mobility. We’re starting with the rollator — one of the most essential, yet most outdated, assistive devices.
Every day, thousands of people reach retirement age in the U.S. alone. Yet the products designed to support them remain clinical, impersonal, and poorly engineered for real human needs. We’re developing a new generation of durable medical devices that are safe, ergonomic, attractive, and personalizable — products that restore confidence, independence, and dignity to aging adults.
Our first product is a next‑generation rollator (walker with wheels) that is safe, stable, intuitive, and beautiful. Rollators are vital to millions: between 7 and 10 million people in the U.S. currently use one, and that number is expected to exceed 12 million by 2030, driven by consistent 6%+ annual market growth and a rapidly aging population.
Despite their popularity, today’s rollators suffer from serious design flaws that compromise comfort, usability, and safety. We’re looking for industrial designers to help us redefine this product category from the ground up.
THE PROBLEM
(1) Safety and Stability Concerns
Rollators are often unstable on uneven surfaces, leading to falls during turning, sitting, or weight transfer. Poor lateral stability and under‑engineered frames increase tipping risk. Cracks, curbs, and wet floors present constant hazards.
(2) Brake and Wheel Issues
Weak or inconsistent brakes, loose cables, and poor component quality result in unsafe performance. Some models even move when brakes are “locked.” Seniors frequently struggle with brake adjustment and engagement.
(3) Ergonomic Fit
Fixed or poorly adjustable handle heights cause back pain, shoulder tension, and poor posture. Many rollators force users to hunch or lean too far forward, accelerating fatigue and increasing fall risk.
(4) Weight and Portability
Heavier models are difficult to lift or store. Lightweight models, meanwhile, often feel flimsy or unstable. Even so-called “easy fold” systems are often difficult to use without significant coordination or strength.
(5) Durability and Maintenance
Low-cost components (brake cables, tires, grips, storage accessories) tend to wear out quickly, rattle, or break down, leading to frustration and safety issues.
(6) Cognitive and Visual Limitations
Low visibility, poor labeling, and lack of tactile or visual cues make rollators difficult to operate for those with impaired vision or cognitive challenges. Most models lack reflectors, lighting, or intuitive indicators.
(7) Aesthetics and Personalization
Visually unappealing, stigmatizing, and poorly aligned with the lifestyles of modern users, most rollators resemble hospital equipment more than consumer products—a visual signal of decline rather than empowerment. Many users, especially those in the early stages of mobility impairment, feel ashamed or reluctant to use their rollator in public. These devices fail to reflect the individuality, dignity, or design sensibility of the people using them. In addition, rollators often come in limited sizes and configurations, offering little adjustability for different body types or mobility needs. They’re also rarely customizable in appearance, with no way to select finishes, colors, or accessories that match personal tastes or home environments. People can personalize everything from their phones to their cars — why can’t they do the same with a rollator?
DESIGN CHALLENGE & DELIVERABLES
We’re inviting designers to reinvent the rollator as a lightweight, space-saving, and design-forward product that feels at home in modern life.
Your task:
Design a compact, ergonomic rollator for older adults — one that balances comfort, functionality, and modern aesthetics. The ideal design will be visually elegant, safe, durable, and 3D-printable for early prototyping.
Deliverables:
• 2–3 concept sketches or renderings
• 3D CAD files (STEP and STL format) optimized for 3D printing
• Exploded View (optional) — mechanical details if applicable
• Basic Engineering Notes — joins, materials, tolerances
• Brief design rationale (a few paragraphs on ergonomics, mechanisms, intended materials)
Wants:
• Ergonomics & Usability – Comfort, natural posture, and fit for older adults with varying physical needs• Safety & Stability – Anti-tip design, dependable braking, and traction across different surfaces
• Form & Aesthetics – Clean, modern appearance that feels at home in public and private spaces; a device that even design-conscious users will be proud to use and display
• Customization & Personalization – Adjustable sizing (e.g., handle height, frame width) and aesthetic options that empower users to make the rollator their own
• Innovation – Fresh thinking around folding, weight distribution, or interaction design
• Prototypability – Design must be suitable for testing via 3D printing (FDM/SLA)
• Feasibility – Components and materials should be realistic for eventual manufacturing
Don't Wants:
• Generic, hospital-style rollators with little attention to design or user experience• Products that look clinical, stigmatizing, or overly mechanical
• Designs with no aesthetic personality or potential for user customization or personalization
• Rigid, one-size-fits-all formats with no adjustability for different body types or physical needs
• Designs that are unsafe, prone to tipping, or difficult to control
• Folding mechanisms that are bulky, awkward, or too complex for older adults to operate
• Brake systems that are unreliable, confusing, or prone to failure
• Overly conceptual entries that are not realistically buildable or printable
Ask for Sample:
Please include:
• Portfolio pieces or product designs with ergonomic, mobility, or assistive technology components
• Any 3D-print-ready projects you’ve worked on
• Relevant mechanical or folding mechanism examples (if available)
Software:
- step
Payment Pending
Entries
#14 Walker_2.O
by sparshy
Download Files
#13 Rollator Design
by Husnain
Download Files
#12 Rollator
by suhermanwinong
Download Files
#11 EaseStride
by NextGen_IoT_LAB
Download Files
#10 S4 Rollator
by satyas
Download Files
#9 yamandesign
by kadiry2
Download Files
#8 EaseStride
by NextGen_IoT_LAB
Download Files
#7 Aid walker
by MécaCim
Download Files
#6 Medical Walker
by kadiry2
Download Files
#5 EaseStride-02
by NextGen_IoT_LAB
Download Files
#4 Medical Walker
by pedromoura
Download Files
#3 “Your Selected Design Delivered as a Manufacturable Model in 3 Business Days!”
by EDİZGNDD
Download Files
#2 EaseStride
by NextGen_IoT_LAB
#1 The model is a Walker, designed and modeled in SolidWorks with a focus on ergonomics, stability, and user comfort.
by monirh
Download Files
Discussion
Could you please fix the payment at least?
Contestants: we encourage you to:
- look at the top products in the market (.e.g byacre.com/us/rollators/) and find ways to improve. clearly describe what features make your entry bettter/different
- think about shapes and forms; don&
;t simply settle for rounded metal tubes
- consider the best materials (e.g. 3D-printed plastic) and discuss how your design makes prototyping easy
- be clear about customization options and accessories (this is very important!)
The winning entry should demonstrate and document user research.
- look at the top products in the market (.e.g byacre.com/us/rollators/) and find ways to improve. clearly describe what features make your entry bettter/different
- think about shapes and forms; don&
;t simply settle for rounded metal tubes- consider the best materials (e.g. 3D-printed plastic) and discuss how your design makes prototyping easy
- be clear about customization options and accessories (this is very important!)
The winning entry should demonstrate and document user research.
To all participants:
Please carefully read the contest description. We are seeing many, many submissions that are very similar to existing solutions. These will not be considered for the prize.
Contestants should:
- carefully consider all of the SPECIFIC the needs of users. for example: how can an elderly person easily use storage (remember that they cannot bend down easily), brakes (especially considering that many elderly people have arthritis), etc.
- consider how to solve the safe collapsibility of the device--in a way that will not harm the user, and that the device can easily be stored without falling over
- ensure that the device can be 3D-printed. nearly EVERY submission has been composed of metal tubes. This is not consistent with contest instructions
We&;re eager to find a winner and are even considering adding a 2nd place position for other good ideas. Please show us your RESEARCH, USER UNDERSTANDING, & MATERIALS CAPABILITY!
Please carefully read the contest description. We are seeing many, many submissions that are very similar to existing solutions. These will not be considered for the prize.
Contestants should:
- carefully consider all of the SPECIFIC the needs of users. for example: how can an elderly person easily use storage (remember that they cannot bend down easily), brakes (especially considering that many elderly people have arthritis), etc.
- consider how to solve the safe collapsibility of the device--in a way that will not harm the user, and that the device can easily be stored without falling over
- ensure that the device can be 3D-printed. nearly EVERY submission has been composed of metal tubes. This is not consistent with contest instructions
We&
;re eager to find a winner and are even considering adding a 2nd place position for other good ideas. Please show us your RESEARCH, USER UNDERSTANDING, & MATERIALS CAPABILITY!
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