Supersmith highlights the “frequently overlooked” connection between mobility and mental wellbeing
Bristol-based mobility innovator Supersmith has been highlighting the “frequently overlooked” connection between mobility and mental wellbeing as it officially launches its “next-generation” mobility scooter this month.
Supersmith was founded to challenge expectations around traditional mobility scooters, and to change the way the world thinks and feels about them.
For founder Tom Morgan, that mission began following his sister’s diagnosis with MS, after witnessing first-hand the compromises often associated with traditional mobility products – from low seating positions and unstable cornering to designs that can feel overly clinical and disconnected from modern lifestyle products.
Tom commented: “Mobility scooters, instead of feeling like a lifeline, are often difficult to live with – either large, heavy and awkward, or lightweight but not suited to everyday use.” said Tom.
“I’ve seen first-hand how unsafe they can be, and how challenging they are to rely on day to day, both physically and psychologically. I knew there had to be a better solution, and we’ve been incredibly fortunate to build a team capable of making that vision a reality.
“We started with a simple idea: to create a product that helps people feel included and feel good in everyday life. That shouldn’t be a radical concept – but in this space, it still is.”
Launching this month, Supersmith states that the 3Scooter is a next-generation mobility scooter inspired by micromobility, e-bikes and consumer technology rather than traditional medical aesthetics.
At the heart of the 3Scooter is Supersmith’s EverLevel stability technology – an advanced system that uses dual gyroscopes, accelerometers and real-time stability software to continuously monitor movement, terrain and rider input hundreds of times per second.
The technology is designed to detect potential instability faster than human reflexes, automatically making subtle adjustments to suspension and power output to help maintain balance and control across uneven surfaces such as cracked pavements, raised tree roots and other everyday obstacles.
That intelligent stabilisation system also enables one of the 3Scooter’s defining design advantages: a raised seating position.
While traditional mobility scooters typically keep riders lower to the ground to maintain stability through weight and a low centre of gravity, Supersmith’s system allows users to sit higher while remaining stable and supported.
The result is not only a smoother ride, Supersmith states, but a different kind of everyday experience – one where riders are not constantly scanning the ground for cracks, bumps or uneven surfaces, and can instead focus on the world around them: conversations at eye level, movement through shops, cafés, parks and busy public spaces, and the social moments that happen along the way.
As Fiona Allen, a prospective user, explained, mobility can have a direct impact on both emotional wellbeing and feelings of independence, particularly during periods where getting out begins to feel more difficult day to day:
“Your mood changes, but it doesn’t help if you can’t get out very easily. It just emphasises the fact that you’re stuck at home again. Getting out, staying active and seeing people makes such a difference – and the easier it is to get out, the better I feel.
“What I’m looking for is more independence so I can actually do things without always asking somebody for help. The easier it is to get around, the more you feel part of everyday life again.”
For Supersmith, that experience highlights the importance of designing mobility products that support not only physical movement, but also independence, connection and participation in everyday life.
By reducing the need to constantly anticipate every surface change, Supersmith aims to shift that experience – so mobility is not defined by avoiding obstacles, but by being able to take part in everyday life without those barriers shaping every decision to go out.
Supersmith believes accessibility should not exist separately from mainstream design and lifestyle culture. Instead, the company believes mobility products should be designed with the same focus on accessibility, usability and emotional experience as any other modern technology product.
Supersmith says that it hopes to encourage greater recognition that inclusive mobility is not simply about transport – it is about access to everyday life.
