Davide gets his custom motorcycle seat and big adventure
Seven-year-old Davide “Davidino” lives with a rare genetic disorder that causes tetraparesis, making sitting independently and moving safely a daily challenge. For most children, participating in a multi-day motorcycle event like the Transitalia Marathon would be impossible.
When Simone Zignoli, a motorcyclist and influencer who works with Italy’s leading TV network, Mediaset, wanted to take Davide on a sidecar adventure, the family faced a clear challenge: how to provide a seat that ensures comfort, safety, and proper support for long hours on a physically demanding ride across varied terrain. Traditional seating solutions were simply not enough.
Designing a personalized seat with Programmable Foam® technology
- Footprint scanning for precision fit: Davide’s footprint was scanned to accurately map his posture and weight distribution, ensuring targeted support where it was needed most.
- Software customization with Qwadra’s Cube: Programmable Foam® allowed the team to define softer zones for comfort and firmer areas for stability, perfectly tailored to Davide’s body.
- 3D printing for pressure relief and breathable support: The seat and backrest were produced using Programmable Foam® technology, which combines durability, shock absorption, and breathability for a multi-day motorcycle adventure.
- Custom upholstery: Finished with 3D fabric and a tailored cover, the seat ensured hygiene, safety, and aesthetics.
"Seeing Davide ride safely and smile during the adventure was unforgettable. Thanks to this custom seat, he could experience something many would have thought impossible"
Davide safely experiences the Transitalia Marathon sidecar adventure
Thanks to the custom seat, Davide was able to participate safely and comfortably in the Transitalia Marathon, a multi-day motorcycle adventure spanning hundreds of kilometers. Riding alongside his father, he experienced the thrill of adventure in a way that would have been impossible without the custom solution.
This project demonstrates how custom, technology-driven solutions can promote inclusion for children and adults with mobility challenges. Although this seat was created specifically for an event, partly because Davide lives in another region and uses a stroller in daily life, the same approach is applied to everyday seating solutions for other children and adults.
By utilizing Programmable Foam®, these seats offer customized support, targeted softness, breathability, and durability, all while being produced using modern additive manufacturing techniques that generate virtually no waste. This approach aligns with the EU’s future standards for responsible use of resources and highlights the real-world impact of Programmable Foam® technology in improving mobility, independence, and quality of life.
How Programmable Foam® transforms seating for mobility challenges
By combining human-centered design, precise scanning, advanced software, and innovative materials, Programmable Foam® allows the creation of highly customized, comfortable, and supportive seating. It enables children like Davide to participate, explore, and enjoy life’s adventures safely and comfortably.
