Design4Health brings together designers and creative practitioners with researchers, clinicians, policy makers and users to discuss, disseminate and test their approaches and methods. Together we explore creative approaches and perspectives to enhance understanding and experience, and improve efficiency of health and wellbeing services and products.

Careables will present a co-creation process at D4H, in which our Milan project partners TogetherToGo & OpenDot created a tricycle for a child (link in Italian) and Waag in Amsterdam replicated the project later. In our presentation at the D4H conference we aim to critically reflect on and question the potential of co-design of ‘open’ healthcare solutions.

Our abstract:

Digital fabrication labs and maker spaces have emerged across the globe in recent years to become local community hubs for a wide range of Do It Yourself-activities. In parallel, open source information and tools have triggered grassroots solutions in healthcare. Patients, their families, carers, health professionals and designers started to create personalised ‘open’ healthcare solutions in a bottom-up way. Within Careables, an international innovation project, we aim to link local communities of citizens with disabilities, their families, and healthcare professionals with makers/designers to establish collaboration between these separate communities to develop open-source interventions.

Careables are driven by a methodological commitment towards co-design of ‘open’ healthcare solutions, involving all relevant stakeholders. Key to co-design is that people become creators, not only users of innovation. In our case, patients, their families, healthcare professionals and designers are involved in the co-design process as experts in their specific environments, together with makers, who are experts in the use of digital tools, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, etc.

An inspiring example has been the co-production and replication of a tricycle for Lorenzo, a 6-year-old who suffers from a complex neurological pathology that makes most daily actions difficult. The patient organisation TogetherToGo teamed up with Milano’s Fablab Opendot to engage in co-design, customization and rapid prototyping to produce a tricycle with reduced cranks, ergonomic saddle, support for the back and adjustable handlebar. The 3D model is customized on Lorenzo, but can be quickly adapted to the needs of other children with different disabilities, using personal digital fabrication. In the Netherlands a replication of Lorenzo’s bike has been made in the Fablab of WAAG society, showing the potential of ‘open’ healthcare solutions.