Commissioning party: Exero Technologies AS
Practitioner: EGGS Design AS
Walking buddy
Aids tend to reflect a focus on satisfying difficult functional requirements, with aesthetics being a secondary consideration. Exero Technologies and EGGS Design wanted to do something about this and the result is worthy of a DOGA Award.
Panel remarks
The panel’s first reaction was “I want one!”, which says enough about the successful innovation of a product in a category characterised by what we at best can call ‘functionality aesthetics’. The distinction between aid and sports equipment is abolished in an elegant manner that is true to form and also hints at other user groups than the disabled. We see, for example, the potential for everything from indoor training to soapbox racing.
The kneeling position and narrow distance between the wheels gives the user better contact with the ground and the Spike can handle kerbs and gravel roads with equal finesse. This creates new opportunities for movement and helps the disabled lead a more active life. Spike is also easy to set up and adjust and can be folded for easy transport.
In creating Spike, Exero and EGGS have made an important contribution to a category in which, unfortunately, aesthetics is often overlooked or given less priority. We can only hope that Spike inspires others to create aids that challenge both traditional aesthetics and traditional functionality.
Project group
Mathias Berg, Exero Technologies AS, Product Developer
Andre Johnsen, Exero Technologies AS, Product Developer
Lasse Roxrud Farstad, EGGS Design AS, Industrial Designer
Carl André Nørstebø, EGGS Design AS, Industrial Designer
Martin Skogholt, EGGS Design AS, Industrial Designer
Mathias Paasche Hansson, Hansson Design, Industrial Designer
