Empowering people with beautiful and accessible design
Products
Discover our first product range: the HDC Shoe, an innovative all-season, every-day footwear design for people experiencing foot drop. It is characterised by the ‘Smart Strap Technology’, which optimises the remaining function of the foot, holding it up and acting as an assistive device while also ensuring comfortability, attractiveness and affordability.
Research
Read more about the research in Podiatry, Physiotherapy and Orthotics design that supports the development process of the 'Smart Strap Technology', to have a deeper understanding of how this novel solution was developed, why the concept behind it is so innovative and in what ways our approach is better than other options currently available in the market.
Get Involved
Find out how to take part in HDC’s projects! We value the contributions of our end-user community and we actively seek people’s views on what products to prioritise and generate ideas to ensure that we help them overcome the challenges they experience in their everyday life due to long-term health conditions.
About Us
We are the Health Design Collective (HDC). We are a Community Interest Company with a vision to “Transform product design in health care” and our mission is to “Collaborate with end-users to co-design fit-for-purpose, accessible, attractive and affordable health care products.” We use this innovative business model to improve quality of life of persons with health conditions worldwide. We have identified the need for a line of products from our discussions with people living with long term conditions.
What People Say
"I heard about the study for shoes designed to assist people with drop foot from my physiotherapist at the MSTC. Straight away l was very interested in becoming a participant in the study. The concept and design sounded great.
The shoes arrived and I tested them for 2 weeks. Believe me, l really put them through their paces. I wore them out and about, in the house, at the exercise studio and whilst driving. My feedback, "awesome and you are definitely onto a winner with these shoes". My mobility, speed of walking, gait and confidence improved immensely.
What really amazed me was watching myself walking with my normal footwear on and then the shoes. My normal rolling gait was gone and I was walking upright, with confidence for the first time in 8 years. "Awesome".
All the staff on the study are very, very helpful, listen to feedback both positive and negative and ask what you think would make the shoes better, ideas about personal look for the shoes etc. The staff, really make you feel that your participation and feedback is really important. Great job guys, your concept and design will make a massive difference to lot's of people's lives that struggle with mobility due to drop foot."