A small startup company out of Brunswick, Maine has developed a cool new mobility device designed to help people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s Disease, brain injuries, tumors, and other conditions get around easier.
The device, called the Afari Mobility Aid, looks like a three wheel bicycle. The users push it in front of themselves as they walk, as they would with a traditional rollator. Unlike a traditional rollator, the Afari is much larger and uses bicycle wheels. It helps users with balance and movement issues not only walk, but also run and jog. As Afari’s CEO Ryan Beaumont puts it, “We’re trying to make mobility fun.”
One of the early users of the Afari is Larry Marquis. He’s survived seven heart attacks, two strokes, and a brain tumor. In talking about the Afari, he said, “There are things out there for people that can help them to really enjoy their life again and get back to where they were, maybe not quite as well as they were doing, but something they enjoy. Just walking for now, is great.”
The Afari costs $1,650 and upward. The company has made sixteen Afari Mobility Aids so far and sold eleven. They hope to expand their business out into the New England area.