【3D Printing】MakeGood Unveils Low-Cost 3D Printed Mobility Chair for Children
Design Files Released Simultaneously on MakerWorld
Design Files Released Simultaneously on MakerWorld
If you had the chance to visit our booth at Formnext, you would have entered a specially designed space where we hosted a very special guest: the MakeGood non-profit team. This New Orleans-based organization focuses on creating unique projects for people with mobility impairments.
At Formnext, MakeGood officially launched the "3D Printed Toddler Mobility Trainer (TMT)". This low-cost, open-source mobility aid is designed to help young children with mobility difficulties improve independence, coordination, and social development. Now, this excellent project is available on the MakerWorld platform, where anyone can download the files for free and produce it using a home 3D printer.
Although it is a mobility chair, the entire article requires high-end equipment—a Bambu Lab P2S is sufficient! The entire project has been optimized for this 3D printer.
| A Creator's Revolution: A Vivid Children's Mobility Aid
The TMT is released under a completely open-source model. MakeGood provides full model files, assembly instructions, and educational materials, which can be downloaded for free through the organization's official website (www.3dmobility.org) and the MakerWorld platform .
From now on, anyone with a 3D printer capable of printing PETG and TPU materials can create a fully functional aid suitable for children aged 1 to 8. In a world where professional aids are hard to come by and commercial products often exceed many families' budgets, this initiative is not just a technological novelty but a practical tool for driving social change.
The complete cost to produce this device is only about $150 USD, with almost all components being 3D printed.
The materials required for assembly are as follows:
· Approximately 10 rolls of PETG printing material (minimum 8 rolls; if parts are printed in multiple colors, the quantity needs to increase accordingly)
· 2 to 3 rolls of TPU printing material (quantity depends on print settings and whether the seat cushion is printed)
· A small amount of hardware: 6 bolts, 2 nuts, 2 washers, 2 front casters, 1 rear caster
Printing all parts with a single 3D printer takes about a week; using multiple printers can significantly shorten the production time.
However, the TMT is more than just an example of a successful open-source project; it also demonstrates the growing power of the maker movement. The device is visually appealing, brightly colored, and has a low ground clearance, ensuring that children can maintain eye contact with their peers.
It is specifically designed for children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or developmental delays resulting from prematurity in the neonatal intensive care unit. For many young users, this mobility trainer is the first step towards independence and sometimes a transitional stage to help them learn to walk.
This was evident at Formnext: a local German family visited with their son, Keo, who has mobility impairments and needed a TMT. Keo eventually took one of the chairs home—a heartwarming moment made possible by Bambu Lab's support.
| From a Reddit Post to an Outstanding 3D Printing Innovation
MakeGood is founded and led by Noam Platt, a certified medical architect and an expert in designing and developing new technologies for people with disabilities.
The team also includes: Philip Dunham, Senior Director of Design, specializing in advanced computational design (quadriplegic at C-5 due to a mountain biking accident in 1999); James Robert III, Senior Director of Manufacturing, an innovator in custom medical devices (born with congenital limb difference); and Dr. Ashley Volion, Dr. Sergio Cuevas, Sianna Paddie, Scott Reddoch, Marty McMahon, and Brett Swensen.
Another core contributor is Schuyler Livingston, co-founder of LINK PBC and a senior industrial designer.
The origin of this "3D Printed Toddler Mobility Trainer" project can be traced back to a Reddit post—published almost exactly one year before the mobility aid launched on MakerWorld.
Although his background is in finance, Philip Dunham, who had been involved in design for many years, later joined the team; Hannah and Amber from TOM Global (an organization focused on connecting those in need with creators) also participated.
From the beginning, everyone shared the same goal: to create a device that is accessible, affordable, easy to make, and as fault-tolerant as possible. This project evolved from a small experiment into a professional design and engineering process, with the team documenting hundreds of steps and analyses on a Miro board, viewing it as a map for the device's evolution.
One crucial stage was determining how many components could be 3D printed without compromising functionality.
Initially, the team thought some parts, such as wheels and straps, would need to be purchased separately, but after several prototype tests, they found that the boundaries of 3D printing applications were far beyond expectations. Ultimately, almost all components—from the frame to the seat cushion and straps—could be printed using PETG and TPU materials, with only small metal parts like bolts and casters needing to be purchased separately.
One crucial stage was determining how many components could be 3D printed without compromising functionality.
Initially, the team thought some parts, such as wheels and straps, would need to be purchased separately, but after several prototype tests, they found that the boundaries of 3D printing applications were far beyond expectations. Ultimately, almost all components—from the frame to the seat cushion and straps—could be printed using PETG and TPU materials, with only small metal parts like bolts and casters needing to be purchased separately.
The team rigorously tested each new version of the aid, making subtle but crucial optimizations for durability, printability, and ease of assembly. They also distributed prototypes to six families, whose feedback over several months helped the team refine every detail.
As the project progressed, the team found that the biggest challenge wasn't the technology itself, but reaching the people who truly needed it.
In the field of assistive technology, there has long been an "accessibility gap": creators are willing to help but don't know those in need; conversely, people with disabilities need aids but don't know they can obtain them from local creators.
Funding was also crucial, but its role exceeded expectations—printer, material, and prototyping costs were primarily supported by companies like Bambu Lab and CookieCAD.
In the field of assistive technology, there has long been an "accessibility gap": creators are willing to help but don't know those in need; conversely, people with disabilities need aids but don't know they can obtain them from local creators.
Funding was also crucial, but its role exceeded expectations—printer, material, and prototyping costs were primarily supported by companies like Bambu Lab and CookieCAD.
| When Creators Bridge the Gap
The culmination of the first phase of this project was its appearance at the 2025 Formnext exhibition. With the support of Bambu Lab, MakeGood showcased the finished mobility aid to a wide audience, attracting significant attention and sparking a series of new community-driven projects.
Creators visiting the exhibition expressed willingness to build similar solutions, and families worldwide began applying to get this mobility trainer for their children.
"I can guarantee that every one of us will eventually face mobility impairments," said Noam Platt. "In my view, there is no distinction between disabled and non-disabled people. We are all the same, just at different points on the timeline where assistive technology is needed. At some point in life, we will all need such devices. I hope to live in a world where everyone has access to well-designed, effective assistive technology, so that when I face mobility impairments in the future, I can continue to do what I love."
This is why high-quality, thoughtful assistive devices should be universally accessible. The commercial market cannot solve this problem, but people can—designers, engineers, architects, and creators can all contribute their time and skills to build a more inclusive world.
"No one will do this for us," Platt further stated. "The commercial market simply won't respond to these needs. For the first time in human history, design tools and manufacturing methods have become so simple that anyone can spend 30 minutes designing something for others and truly create life-changing devices. I have done it many times. All of us—especially designers, architects, and engineers—have a responsibility to incorporate inclusivity into every design. When we create user-friendly products, systems, and buildings, we are actually creating a more inclusive future for everyone."
MakeGood's project, and its open-source release on the MakerWorld platform, demonstrate the feasibility of such actions.
It shows us that when technology is no longer used only for mass production but becomes a tool for collaboration, it can change people's lives in the simplest and most direct way.
All photos provided by MakeGood, all rights reserved.
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