Dario Canini

Dario Canini joined Designability, a UK disability charity, in 2021 as the Engineering Innovation Manager. He leads the process that transforms a conceptual idea into a finished product or service enabling disabled people to live with greater independence.

On hearing feedback from the disabled community that there was no product available for a manual wheelchair-using parent to safely transport their young child in a pushchair, Dario wanted to better understand the problem. Through a ‘person-centred‘ design approach, including borrowing a wheelchair to use in his daily life and engaging with disabled parents, he gained valuable insights into this gap in the market.

Driven by Dario’s passion and enthusiasm, Designability's team developed a solution: the world’s first accessible pushchair designed for mass manufacture, suitable for nearly all manual wheelchairs. The design replaces the traditional rear wheels/footbrake assembly, turning any conventional pushchair into an accessible pushchair at very little cost, approximately $15.

Since its launch in late 2023, the innovative design has won three awards, each recognising the groundbreaking nature of creating a solution for disabled parents, without compromising on design, functionality or affordability. A product that can significantly change the lives of disabled parents who need it.