Mobility matchmaking – Part 3: Revolve Air
Mobility matchmaking – Part 3: Revolve Air
Which 2023 wheelchair or mobility scooter would you choose to chum up with?
The design choice in wheelchairs and mobility scooters is growing globally [1], which is excellent news for users and those who support them.
But which characteristics should you be looking for in what, after all, may become one of your best mobile buddies ever?
Our neuro OTs are experts at sourcing the right mobility aids for their clients. (See Make it a match below.)
So, to help kick-start your search, we’re taking an impartial* look at 10 of the latest models making headlines in the UK this year.
And in Part 3 of our series, we’re revving it up with a world-first in wheelchairs founded by a former Ferrari designer, Andrea Mocellin …
Revolve Air
Revolve Air aims to give a total new independence to all active wheelchair users, who commute and travel every day 
Revolve Air inventor Andrea Mocellin [2]
It took eight years in development, but there’s no doubt love is in the air for the head-turner, Revolve Air, the world’s first foldable, active wheelchair [3].
Its lightweight but sturdy structure easily converts into cabin luggage, which can cut travel times in half for wheelchair users, says its founder, Andrea Mocellin, a former designer for high-end sports car manufacturer Ferrari [3]
It won praise from Paralympians who trialled it and then won three awards - Time 100 Best Inventions, European Start-Up Prize for mobility, and a Reddot design award.
The Revolve Air, designed in Italy and manufactured in the Netherlands, is very much aimed at users who travel, particularly when those journeys involve flying.
It can be used with any car and can be checked in for flights like other cabin baggage.
It also avoids the need for assistance with wheelchair loading and booking.
Here are some of its other stand-out features:
- Cutting-edge folding mechanism makes opening and folding effortless
- When folded, it takes up 60% less space than a standard folding wheelchair
- Fits into overhead compartments, meeting universal cabin luggage limits.
- Foldable puncture-proof wheels
- It comes in different sizes
- Customizable cushions
- Ergonomic wheel push rim
- Universal wheel locking pin to fit any wheelchair
Talking to Design Boom magazine, Andrea described the Revolve Air as “a real breakthrough.”
He explained, “This means no more need to check-in the wheelchair at the airport hours before the flight, with the risk of damage to [it]; no more long waiting at the luggage delivery; no need to store the wheelchair in a large car trunk […]; plus, less need of assistance along the journey.
“This is a real breakthrough that can have a liberating effect on those who need to use wheelchairs, in all of the best ways.”
To help you decide if Revolve Air is for you, check out its manufacturer’s website here: [3]
Make it a match
A neuro OT can help you find your ideal match in the shape of a wheelchair or mobility scooter. It may help to start your search by asking the following questions:
- How much time will you spend using it?
- For which activities do you need it and where?
- Does it give you the space, support, and comfort you need?
- Will you need any unique accessories or an extra safety kit?
- How will you store and transport it?
- Have you any physical or cognitive challenges that would limit your use of it?
- What is your budget?
* Opinions and endorsements published by others on Krysalis Consultancy Ltd blogs or publications do not necessarily reflect the views of Krysalis Consultancy Ltd.
Further reading
" The wheelchair hasn’t been updated since it was modernised in the 1950s, and the design has seen little improvement. We knew this needed to change."
It was bad enough that it didn’t fit under a dining table, but there were always grazed knuckles from narrow doorways and spilt food from being too far away from the table.
In Mobility Matchmaking – Part 2, meet an innovative award winner for accessibility, The Centaur.
We have found that Omeo’s intuitive features make it almost become an extension of the user’s body, allowing us to feel more human...
And, in Mobility matchmaking – Part 1, catch up with the darling of BBC’s Dragons’ Den, the off-roading Omeo.
