Brad Fain, a principal research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, was unanimously elected to the board of directors of Mobility Worldwide, a global charity that builds and provides three wheeled, off-road wheelchairs to those unable to walk in the developing world. Fain was recruited by the organization to help lead a research and development effort to investigate new designs for worldwide use. The specialized wheelchairs are ideal for those who lost limbs in land mines or who cannot walk due to birth defects or disease. Since its founding in 1994, Mobility Worldwide has distributed more than 57,000 of the unique wheelchairs among 103 countries.

“This organization’s commitment to those with mobility needs is impressive,” said Fain. “I look forward to being a part of the process – to applying human factors principles in a way that not only improves mobility for those in need, but also makes it more accessible.”

Mobility Worldwide recently adopted its new name and was previously called PET International. P.E.T. was an acronym for Personal Energy Transportation.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Fain decided to lead this international effort as many millions of people in the developing world are in need of personal transportation devices and systems,” Scott Walters, Mobility Worldwide Executive Director stated. “We know that conventional wheelchairs are not functional in areas were sidewalks or roadways are nonexistent or severely damaged. Brad will help us design a better product to help those in need,” he said.