James had knee replacement surgery and was recovering at home with his wife. His insurance offered to partially fund building a downstairs extension so he could live on one floor, but his family wanted a better solution. They discovered StairWear, custom-fitted accessories that provide grip, visibility and foot space on stairs to prevent falls. James' daughter ordered a set through an online site that had the products 3D printed locally and installed in under an hour, allowing James to safely use all areas of his home during recovery.

1. 1
Background
James, 70, lives at home with his
wife, Mary. They have a two storey
house and live near their kids.

2. 2
Problem
James has a knee replacement due
to arthritis. While he recovers, his
family consider options for helping
him to continue to live his life in
safety and comfort.

3. 3
Current solution
A stair lift will not fit the house and
James’ family know that he would
be too proud to use one anyway.
The best solution offered by Health
Insurance is to live downstairs and
build an extension on to the house.
They will only partially fund this
construction.

4. 4
A better solution
The thought of not using the entire
upstairs half of the house seems
crazy to James’ family. They are left
thinking; “Surely there is a better
alternative to this?” Installing an
elevator would be too expensive,
would take away James’ and Mary’s
dignity, and would cause them
to age quicker as they became
dependent on it.

5. 5
Introducing StairWear
James’ family discovers StairWear, a
suite of custom-fit accessories that
help to prevent falls on stairs by
providing:
1. More foot space on each step
2. Better grip on each step
3. Improved visibility of each step
They decide to get one for the main
stairs inside, as well as the outdoor
steps as they are so affordable!

6. 6
First step
By entering her parents’ home
location on the StairWear site, James’
daughter, Ellie is able to request for a
local construction expert to come and
measure her parents’ stairs.

7. 7
Preparation
A local construction expert arrives
to measure the stairs, headroom,
handrail height, etc. These
measurements will allow Ellie
to configure the StairWear to fit
perfectly, and automatically request
a permit for home improvement (in
countries where this is necessary).

8. 8
Placing an order
Ellie uses the inuitive StairWear site
to configure the products to James’
and Mary’s exact needs. She orders
the perfect size, the perfect grip style,
and their favourite colors. The site
does not let her order a configuration
that would breach the building codes
for her parents’ location.

9. 9
Logistics
By tapping into existing networks
of 3D print providers, construction
experts and delivery services,
StairWear sends the digital file to be
3D printed/ CNC’d local to James’
house. It is then delivered to the door.

10. 10
Installation
The product arrives in pieces that
slot together like Tetris blocks before
being secured to the steps by bolts. A
construction expert comes to ensure
it is assembled and installed correctly,
and this takes less than an hour.

11. 11
Ready for use
The product is immediately ready
for use, and James and Mary can
continue to live their best possible
life, confidently and safely in the
comfort of their own house.