ElectroGlide
A detachable motor that helps push a manual wheelchair when the user needs it.
About
It adds pushing force that follows the user’s own push, for times when injury or illness makes pushing hard. It clips on and comes off by hand.
“ElectroGlide is a smart, motorized wheelchair attachment that supports young users through fatigue or injury while preserving their free choice of manual control. Lightweight and adaptable, it empowers independence and redefines assistive mobility as flexible and discreet.”
iF Design Student Award 2025 · Jury statement
Key user interview
ElectroGlide was developed with wheelchair athlete Phillip Croft. Interviewed March 23, 2024
Four design priorities
01Manual control
“I’d like it not to have a remote, so I can operate it based on how I move my wheels.”
02Light weight
“Additional excess weight can lead to injury in the shoulders, and it also makes the chair difficult to transport.”
03Universal fit
“It definitely has to be universal and fit on all types of chairs.”
04Low profile
“A lot of what’s out there on the market is bulky. You can see it—it looks like I have a fifth wheel in the back.”
Functions
Two ways to use it
On one frame, or as two separate modules.
Separate modules
Mounted beside the wheels: the lighter setup.
Frame mode
Both modules on one stable frame, designed to fit standard axles.
The three-tube frame
Three rigid tubes keep the kit steady and the power balanced.
