For centuries, the walking cane has remained one of the most widely used assistive mobility aids globally. However, despite rapid advancements in modern manufacturing, its fundamental design has stagnated within the bounds of orthodox clinical practicality. Traditional mobility aids prioritize basic physical support while neglecting the user’s psychosocial reality, often resulting in social stigma, a loss of bodily autonomy, and high rates of device abandonment. Grounded in Inclusive Design principles and participatory action research, this Major Research Project challenges the medical model of disability by reimagining the walking cane not as a static medical device, but as a dynamic, personalised lifestyle accessory.

Through generative participatory co-design ideation workshops with individuals holding lived experiences of mobility impairments, qualitative data was synthesized to uncover deep intersections between mechanical friction and social objectification. Responding to these insights, this research introduces the ModBility Modular Walking Cane System. Built upon a lightweight carbon-fiber framework featuring a universal electromechanical connector architecture, ModBility allows for absolute personalisation and interchangeability. The proof-of-concept features both active and passive modules – including an ergonomic heated grip, a programmable LED light bar, continuous telescopic height adjustment, and a flexible charms module for personalized aesthetics. By democratizing the hardware through an open-source, 3D-printable architecture, ModBility shifts the assistive technology paradigm from “sterile” to “sexy,” providing users with unprecedented aesthetic agency and fundamentally bridging the gap between clinical necessity and human desirability.