Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas by Eric Paskach

Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas by Eric Paskach is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award de Ferro in Deseño Social Competition Category.

FerroSocial· 2025

Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas

by Eric Paskach

Client: Iowa State University of Science and Technology

A' Design Award de Ferro Winner in Social Category

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The Design

About Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas

Book Text: Dino Stride é unha zapatilla adaptativa deseñada para nenos e nenas pequenos que usan ortoses tobillo-pé. A parte superior está feita dun tecido de malla transpirable que reduce a calor acumulada entre o pé e a ortose. Unha sola profunda ofrece espazo e soporte para a ortose mantendo a altura habitual dun zapato infantil. As cremalleiras laterais permiten que a parte frontal do zapato se abra, facendo que poñer e quitar o zapato sexa rápido e sinxelo. Os detalles de dinosauro e o padrón de camuflaxe engaden un carácter lúdico. O deseño favorece a comodidade, o axuste e a confianza durante a rehabilitación.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Ferro

Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas gañou o A' Design Award de Ferro, un recoñecemento prestixioso outorgado a bos deseños que cumpren os requisitos profesionais e industriais esperados de creacións ben deseñadas. Os gañadores Ferro demostran a gran habilidade, a alta especialización, a comprensión experta e a capacidade creativa dos seus creadores. Espérase que Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas sexa unha creación moi apreciada, admirada e querida que é práctica e innovadora. Este deseño gañador do A' Design Award de Ferro integra as mellores prácticas do sector e ten características técnicas competentes ligadas ao saber facer e ao talento. Dino Stride Zapatillas Adaptativas é respectado pola súa minuciosidade e está deseñado para proporcionar melloras na calidade de vida que axudan a facer do mundo un lugar mellor.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: 1 in 345 children are born with cerebral palsy. That is a huge number of children that not only need lower-limb orthotics, but special shoes as well. In the orthotics-friendly footwear market, there is a massive disconnect in communication leading to a final product that completely neglects the user's needs.

Dino Stride solves these issues with an orthotics-friendly shoe that is functional, stylish, and fun, making orthotics more engaging for children, and aiding rehabilitation.
Dimensions & Packaging: The physical model was designed for the average three to four-year-old boy using an ankle-foot orthosis to keep fit while wearing the orthotics a top priority.

The shoe itself is approximately 100mm x 200mm x 125mm
Tags: adaptive, shoes, orthotics, AFO, children, dinosaur, footwear, cerebral palsy, kids, friendly
Production Technology: Empathic design is an approach that brings critical insights into the design process. Throughout this project, I did not only gather data from interviews, surveys, and secondary research. Through firsthand experiences, I immersed myself in the world of those who rely on orthotic-friendly footwear. I understood their frustrations and felt their desire for something better. Every choice was driven by what I had learned, ensuring the final design truly serves the children who need it most.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge of this project was reshaping the shoe form to comfortably accommodate an orthotic without sacrificing the look and feel of a typical kids' shoe. Every child deserves to feel confident and included, so it was crucial to design something that blends in seamlessly with their peers' footwear. Through several iterations, the final design emerged, one that works comfortably with orthotics while prioritizing style, comfort, and the joy of simply being a kid.
Research: For Dino Stride, I conducted surveys and interviews of caregivers of children with lower-limb orthotics, empathic role-play of the child and orthotist, and studied research relating to gait, orthotics, and footwear for orthotics. The objective was to identify which issues were most prevalent for children with lower-limb orthotics. Style, fit, and width were the most prevalent issues. The surveys and interviews conducted provided the most critical insight for design decisions.
Inspiration: Children with disabilities are often disregarded in the world of design. Most equipment designed for these children is simply downscaled versions of technology made for adults. This practice neglects the fact that these users are children and that their wants and needs are far different from those of adults. Therefore, children with disabilities need products designed specifically for them.

I was inspired to make a change in the orthotics-friendly footwear market which suffers from this exact problem.
Project Duration: This project started in January 2024 and finished in May 2024. It was exhibited in Ames Iowa at Iowa State University in May 2024
Operation Flow: The upper is made of a breathable mesh knit to mitigate the heat generated from the foot against the orthotics. A deep sole provides space and support for the orthotics while maintaining the typical height of a kid's shoe. Side zippers allow the front of the shoe to fold open for fast and easy donning and doffing while wearing the orthotics. The dinosaur details and camo pattern add necessary character and fun to the shoe to help with acceptance of the orthotics and self-confidence.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Eric Paskach, 2025
Image Credits: Image #5: Photographer Bjorn Iverson, 2024