What if engineering could do more than solve technical challenges? What if it could change lives? At TechnipFMC, we’ve always believed that the most powerful innovations are the ones that touch people’s hearts. And in Nîmes, France, our team proved that when big hearts meet bold ideas, engineering becomes a force for humanity.

It all began with a simple question from the family of Nathan, a young boy supported by the HumanLab at the Saint-Pierre Foundation: How could his mom walk side-by-side with him during their outings while still pushing his wheelchair laterally?

A small need, perhaps, but one that had the power to transform their daily lives.

The HumanLab is a makerspace devoted to designing assistive solutions for people with disabilities. Families bring their challenges, and the HumanLab connects them with partners like TechnipFMC. Our volunteers contribute what they know best: engineering expertise, creativity, and the drive to turn meaningful ideas into real-world solutions.

When Nathan’s family shared their challenge, our colleagues embraced it wholeheartedly. Leveraging their engineering know-how, they designed a foldable lateral push system that maintains full maneuverability, remains compatible with folding mechanisms, and is built with purpose in every detail. Using upcycled scooter parts, custom 3D-printed components, and machined pieces, they created a prototype that was as inventive as it was thoughtful.

The first trials were a success.

For the first time last December, Nathan naturally joined the walking group instead of being isolated out front, and his mom could walk right beside him. The joy and freedom this brought were immediate and unforgettable. The final version is now underway, and the HumanLab plans to replicate the system across the pediatrics department so more families can benefit.

This is not the team’s first collaboration with The HumanLab. Just last year, they dedicated six months to building a custom bike crank for Léo, a 9-year-old boy who could not ride a bike due to a leg disability. With ingenuity, persistence, and unwavering empathy, they delivered a solution that allowed Léo to experience the thrill of cycling for the first time.

From Léo’s bike crank to Nathan’s wheelchair system, these projects reflect who we are: engineers who listen, who care, and who bring ideas to life with purpose. They show what happens when expertise is guided by empathy and when innovation aims not only to advance technology but to uplift people.