Design profile: Cheelcare’s self-levelling mobility system
By DE Staff
Medical cheelcare design profile medtechRichmond Hill, Ont.-based Cheelcare’s innovative mobility solutions, Curio and Companion, were born from a personal connection to the challenges faced by individuals with limited mobility.
Cheelcare’s Curio mobility system has self-levelling capabilities. (Credit: Cheelcare)
“Most devices on the market lacked features that support user dignity, independence, and personal expression,” says Allex Laurin, Cheelcare’s director of marketing. “We identified a significant gap in assistive technology that could integrate advanced robotics and intuitive design to meet modern mobility needs.” This led to the development of Curio, a mobility system with independently adjustable legs and self-levelling capabilities, and Companion, with its quick-connect mechanism and portable design.
One of the standout features of Curio is its self-levelling technology, which ensures that users with custom seating and posture supports maintain stability and comfort, even on uneven terrain.
“This feature is particularly beneficial for users who rely on custom seating and positioning systems, such as cushions and backrests, to support their posture,” Laurin says, as the system automatically adjusts to keep the user level. This ensures that the user’s posture always remains stable and comfortable, enhancing both safety and comfort—and setting a new standard in the industry.
User feedback played a key role in shaping both products. For example, Companion’s quick-connect mechanism, which allows users to easily attach and detach it in under 10 seconds, was directly influenced by customers’ need for convenience and ease of use.
Cheelcare’s collaboration with clinicians, therapists and users ensured their innovations were practical and impactful.
Curio’s self-levelling technology ensures users maintain stability and comfort—even on uneven terrain. (Credit: Cheelcare)
A key challenge Cheelcare faced was aligning its advanced designs with existing funding frameworks.
“To address this, we worked closely with clinicians and funding specialists to ensure that our products meet necessary requirements and developed comprehensive clinical justifications to support funding applications,” Laurin says. “This collaborative approach has helped us make our cutting-edge mobility solutions accessible to more users.”
To ensure scalability, Cheelcare focused on modular design and prototyping, allowing them to efficiently transition their products from prototype to mass production while meeting growing demand.
“We also focus on modular design principles to streamline manufacturing and assembly with a focus on scalability in both self-manufactured and contract-manufactured scenarios,” Laurin adds.