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Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif by Eric Paskach

Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif by Eric Paskach is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Fè in Sosyal Competition Category.


FèSosyal· 2025

Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif

by Eric Paskach

Client: Iowa State University of Science and Technology

A' Design Award Fè Winner in Sosyal Category

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The Design

About Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif

Tèks Liv: Dino Stride se yon tenis adaptatif ki fèt pou timoun piti ki mete òtèz cheviy-pye. Pati anwo a fèt ak yon twal mesh ki respire byen ki diminye chalè ki akimile ant pye a ak òtèz la. Yon semèl fon bay espas ak sipò pou òtèz la pandan l ap kenbe wotè nòmal yon soulye timoun. Zip sou kote yo pèmèt devan soulye a louvri tankou yon liv, sa ki fè mete ak retire soulye a rapid e senp. Detay dinozò ak yon modèl kamouflaj ajoute yon karaktè plen jwè. Konsepsyon an sipòte konfò, jan soulye a ale byen, ak konfyans pandan reyabilitasyon.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Fè

Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif se yon ganyan A' Design Award Fè, yon rekonesans ki gen prestij yo bay bon design ki satisfè egzijans pwofesyonèl ak endistriyèl yo atann de kreyasyon ki byen fèt. Ganyan Fè yo montre gwo konpetans, espesyalizasyon wo, konpreyansyon ekspè ak kapasite kreyatif kreyatè yo. Yo atann Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif pou se yon kreyasyon anpil moun estime, admire e renmen ki pratik e inovatè. Design sa a ki ganyen A' Design Award Fè entegre pi bon pratik sektè a e li gen karakteristik teknik konpetan ki lye ak konnesans pratik ak talan. Yo respekte Dino Stride Fonksyon Prensipal: Tenis Adaptatif pou jèntan li e li fèt pou bay amelyorasyon kalite lavi ki ede fè mond lan vin yon pi bon kote.

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

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