Movu – mobility support in everyday life

Challenge: Breaking down stigma

Movu is a foldable three-wheeler with a number of smart functions. The stylish Vespa-like design makes a positive impact on the street scene. Most important of all, it fills a big gap in the market.  
 
Due to stigma, many people with impaired functional ability, young and old alike, are isolated by their reluctance to use a walker. NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) provided 44.000 walkers in 2022. The need is estimated to be around 200.000. Only 22 % accept the offer that they need, and which is free of charge. Also, ordinary walkers are not suitable for rehabilitation after, for example, knee operations or amputations. The use of crutches in these cases may also lead to other strain injuries. Lack of the necessary support can cause falls and strain injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders alone cost society NOK 255 billion. An aging population challenges us to think anew.  
 
Movu adressed the obvious problem of why so many people refuse to use a walker – which is, after all, free – and instead choose to stay at home during periods when they need this type of product. It does not help to get mobility aids free from NAV if people do not want to use them.  

Approach: A product for all 

Movu set a vision of contributing to a more inclusive society. This was to be achieved through promoting positive values such as "age-neutral", "sporty", "modern" and "customised" in the development of a product that both young people, adults and the elderly would want to use.  
 
They were not aiming to compete with walkers, but to develop a universal mobility support for everyday life for anyone who needs to move, regardless of functional variations. This is Movu’s unique starting point. 
 
Nevertheless, a key user group for Movu are those who have injuries or illnesses that cause them to be isolated at home or in an institution. With a sporty and smart design, the stigma was to be broken down, and thus get more people out on daily trips and training. It contributes to better health, both psychologically and physically. 

Wide consumer testing and a clear direction 
Movu invites use. Not just by those who need a walker but refuse to use one due to stigma, but also by everyone else who wanta  cool mobility solution next time they go out. And this is a significant user group – around 15% of the world's population will need at least some support when walking owing to injury, health problems or simply old age. Furthermore, needs will gradually increase in step with population ageing.   
 
Movu interviewed and tested rough prototypes on 20, 30 and 90 years old, on able-bodied people and people with MS, stroke patients and prosthetic users, in addition to professional groups such as healthcare personnel and designers. ​The goal was to arrive at smart solutions, important details and a modern design to meet everyone's needs. 
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Movu did not wait to start testing until they had a product that was 95 % finished. Testing was part of the entire process from the very first prototypes. ​The value of testing rough prototypes on a wide variety of people throughout the development process turned out to be of high value. Instead of choosing one direction too early in the development process they gained a diversity of unique insights and perspectives.  
 
Exemplary user participation and observations has led to Movu meeting key needs of many user groups. ​It has also helped them land a design which removes stigma associated with walkers. Movu is particularly welcomed by young people, and being attractive to young users means that gran too can wheel with pride. 

Result: Three wheels and a steering wheel – that’s Movu 

Input from user participation provided clear directions, and some basic principles remained: ​The large front wheel and the steering wheel. Interestingly enough, a steering wheel on Movu was by no means a given at the outset.

The designers experimented with a bicycle handlebar and a joystick element – a design feature that was in keeping with the modern, almost futuristic, appearance. The contact between Movu and the hand turned out to be absolutely central and the joystick became a steering wheel.

Movu went to great lengths to find a good steering wheel to interact comfortably with the anatomy of the hand, whether holding it or leaning against it while waiting for the bus. ​The steering wheel has now become a clear, recognisable detail that make Movu what it is. 
 
Movu also has one large wheel at the front and two smaller wheels at the rear. This is not accidental and reflects the desire to exercise clear differentiation from mobility aids such as walkers. Indeed, the designers were told at an early stage how walkers were both a blessing and a curse. Walkers are experienced to be both unsafe and unsteady when faced with kerbs.

With Movu, you have full control. The large wheel provides control, and you can roll up or down with ease. Movu allows you to walk naturally upright and avoids. Correct relief can also prevent falls and strain injuries. 

Innovative details 
Movu fills an important need in being an attractive product that removes stigma. New and smart functionalities contribute to mobility irrespective of age and functional level. 
 
One of Movu’s key innovative elements is the brake system. It is the result of thorough testing and user considerations. Movu has created smart, ergonomic brakes on both sides of the steering wheel, but you only have to operate one of them to be able to brake. The wish to create one-handed brakes on each side of the steering wheel arose from a particular user test with a person with MS who had reduced sensitivity in one hand. ​The one-handed brake was the solution – a solution that not only works well for people with reduced sensitivity and grip, but also if you want to hold your mobile phone or umbrella at the same time.  
 
Movu’s innovation also lies in producing a mobility solution that appeals to everyone. Movu Mobility has emphasized the elegant details – the modern design language with smooth surfaces and a curved front. Comparing Movu with the timeless Vespa is perceived as an honour to the project.  
 
An extended appeal lies in the freedom of choice Movu provides. It is easy to give Movu the personal touch. You can choose between different colours and supplement with practical additional equipment – such as bags, seats and lights – all depending one’s individual needs. 

Healthy and free

Social sustainability describes the enormous value Mjøsparken provides. Being both outdoors and outside the city centre, Mjøsparken is an important physical and social supplement for getting people active. Increased public health has been one of the goals, and this has now been made possible in an attractive, safe, universally designed environment. 
 
One important design element is safe, universally designed access from Brumunddal town centre and the E6 for pedestrians and other visitors on two or four wheels, as well as from the marina, the new Skibladner jetty and Mjøstårnet. 
 
Mjøsparken is a one-of-a-kind in terms of size and diversity. While there is space enough for everyone, it is still possible to find one’s own private place in the middle of the larger social context. 

Benefits: Environmental, social and value-creating sustainability 

An important goal for Movu has been to develop a product with a long lifespan. ​The product is easy to assemble and repair and all wearing parts can be replaced. The company has chosen to use aluminium and plastic of a quality that is suitable for recycling. Textile products are produced in RPET with a C0 membrane that protects against water and mud. To improve maintenance and ensure proper waste management, all adhesive connections have been replaced with mechanical fastenings.  
  
Movu Mobility has great ambitions in relation to scaling and are purposefully working towards expanding the product portfolio to reach even more people. Their ambitions lie in a circular business model through long-term investment in sustainable operation of the entire value chain. 
  
Movu contributes to social sustainability by giving people increased independence in their daily lives. This innovative mobility solution provides the opportunity to move freely outdoors and maintain a social life for those who would otherwise feel isolated in their own home or in an institution. It is also particularly suitable for people with a need for movement and rehabilitation where there are currently no real alternatives.  
  
Movu Mobility is a start-up company with a holistic and inclusive approach to value creation. They collaborate, for example, with Arba, which is responsible for the assembly of the products. Arba has the important social task of helping more people who would otherwise be outside working life develop through useful employment. 

Thorough insight is the key to success. 
The design of Movu is based on real insight and not on assumptions. Real insight from real people with their individual needs and perspectives has been the guiding principle throughout the design process. This has led to many aha-experiences and new directions resulting in Movu being the product it is today. 
  
It is about daring to ask "stupid" questions to the users in order to solve the big challenge: How to make a non-stigmatising mobility aid that appeals to everyone? The openness with the test users has given them unique insight and based on this they have adjusted over and over again. This is how a good product is created. 
 
Through extensive user testing, Movu Mobility has arrived at smart solutions that benefit everyone, packaged in a stylish three-wheeler – an age-neutral mobility support for daily life. Lines of inheritance have been turned upside down: gran can now inherit from her grandkids. That cannot be said about many products. 
  
Movu contributes to a more inclusive society by allowing more people to go where they want, when they want. When 100 out of 100 test users in the insight phase choose to put themselves on the purchase list for a new Movu, then they also know they have succeeded.