Improving accessibility to sports Our story
The meeting
During a discussion at the end of their children’s school day, Jérôme (a polyamputee) and Benjamin (an engineer at Airbus) realized that together they could launch an exciting project. Jérôme’s problem is the following: improving accessibility to sports for people with disabilities. Benjamin launches the project via Airbus Humanity Lab and proposes it to engineering students from IMT Mines Albi. The 6 students from Mines decided to analyze the needs, to carry out workshops with specialists to define a first axis to work on. Running is a complex subject for people with lower limb amputations. The cost of a blade, between 4 000 € and 8000€ , not reimbursed, does not allow people to equip themselves.
The first prototypes
The idea that propelled the project: to use the ends of rolls of composite materials used by Airbus, normally discarded, and to shape them into recycled and more accessible prosthesis. The students sized the blade on software and then carried out the prototyping in the school’s laboratory.
First tests of the blade
On February 13, 2021, the first blade test day took place on their land in Albi, in the south of France. About 15 people were able to test the blade. For the first time since his amputation Hugo could run! An emotional moment that crowns more than a year of work on their free time to develop the product.
LISA becomes HOPPER®
The project initially named LISA “Lame innovante sportive accessible” becomes HOPPER®. A more global project, federating around strong values. HOPPER® comes from “Hopper grass”, a being personifying agility and nature. The student project became a company, founded by the entire initial team, with a common objective: to make sport and mobility accessible to everyone around the world. Their first solution: the accessible racing blade which will be available in spring 2022 in France and Europe.
Project 3000m in the French Alps
From 19 to 64 years old, 6 different stories and 6 different profiles took up an incredible challenge. The ascent of a 3000m summit in the Alps, equipped with Hopper sport blades.
Test day in Montpellier, France
From 8 to 68 years old, 20 people were pleased to try our blade. A large amount of smiles and a great satisfaction for the team. Other test days are coming in the next months in France.