Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi by Eric Paskach

Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi by Eric Paskach is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid in Disinn Soċjali Competition Category.

ĦadidSoċjali· 2025

Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi

by Eric Paskach

Client: Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid Winner in Soċjali Category

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The Design

About Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi

Dino Stride huwa sapatell adattiv iddisinjat għal tfal żgħar li jilbsu ortożi tal-għekiesi u s-sieq. Il-parti ta' fuq hija magħmula minn xibka innittjata li tieħu n-nifs, li tnaqqas is-sħana li tinbena bejn is-sieq u l-ortożi. Sula fonda tagħti spazju u sapport għall-ortożi filwaqt li żżomm l-għoli tas-soltu ta' żarbuna tat-tfal. Żippijiet fil-ġenb iħallu l-parti ta' quddiem taż-żarbuna tinfetaħ 'il barra, biex il-libes u l-inżul taż-żarbuna jkunu ħfief u sempliċi. Dettalji ta' dinosawru u disinn ta' kamuflaġġ jagħtu karattru ġokuż. Id-disinn jappoġġa l-kumdità, il-qies eżatt u l-kunfidenza matul ir-riabilitazzjoni.

The Recognition

About the Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid

Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi huwa rebbieħ tal-Premju A' Design Award tal-Ħadid, rikonoxximent prestiġjuż mogħti lil disinji tajbin li jissodisfaw ir-rekwiżiti professjonali u industrijali mistennija minn ħolqien imfassal tajjeb. Ir-rebbieħa tal-Ħadid juru l-ħila kbira, l-ispeċjalizzazzjoni għolja, il-fehim espert u l-kapaċità kreattiva tal-ħallieqa tagħhom. Huwa mistenni li Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi ikun ħolqien imqabbar ħafna, mammirat u maħbub li huwa prattiku u innovattiv. Dan id-disinn rebbieħ tal-Ħadid jintegra l-aħjar prattiki tal-industrija u għandu karatteristiċi tekniċi kompetenti marbuta mal-għarfien u t-talent. Dino Stride Sapatelli Adattivi huwa rispettat għall-eżattezza tiegħu u mfassal biex itejjeb il-kwalità tal-ħajja u jgħin jagħmel id-dinja post aħjar.

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