A Bold Perspective on Health and Mobility
“Happy and healthy people are a bad business model.” This provocative statement from BE Alink, founder and inventor of The Alinker, challenges conventional approaches to disability, mobility, and health itself. As BE shared in the Human Biography podcast, this insight sets the stage for rethinking how society views assistive devices—not as mere technical aids, but as tools for dignity and empowerment.
Rewriting the Narrative of Disability
BE Alink’s journey began with a simple but powerful observation from her mother: “Over my dead body will I ever use one of those things,” referring to traditional walkers and scooters. This highlighted a deep disconnect—not only in function but in dignity. Mobility aids too often isolate or infantilize users rather than include them.
BE’s response was to shift the lens entirely: it’s not the individual who is disabled, but the society that disables through exclusion. “We are disabled, to be labeled, to be medicated,” she explains, underscoring how profit-driven systems pathologize people instead of addressing structural barriers. The Alinker reimagines mobility as a form of agency and social presence.
Human-Centered Design, Grounded in Engineering
The Alinker was engineered with more than mechanics in mind. It features complex front-wheel steering and a foldable frame designed for durability, but the priority was always the human experience.
Most mobility devices position users below eye level, limiting interaction. The Alinker places the user upright and visible, restoring eye contact and social engagement. It bridges the gap between walkers and wheelchairs, empowering those who retain leg function to stay active and connected.
Movement as Medicine: Neurological and Psychological Benefits
Beyond mobility, the Alinker acts as a catalyst for neurological engagement. Many users face environments that discourage safe movement, leading to physical and cognitive decline. The Alinker promotes natural leg movement, which activates neural pathways and reinforces brain-body connections.
A woman with muscular dystrophy who had never walked as an adult stood and walked slowly on the Alinker. “I feel so tall,” she said, experiencing eye-level interaction for the first time in years.
Comparable to high-tech exoskeletons used in rehabilitation, the Alinker offers similar neurological benefits without the high cost or power requirements.
Empowering Diverse Users to Reclaim Agency
The Alinker supports users with a wide range of conditions—multiple sclerosis, stroke, arthritis, spinal cord injury, and others. Success depends less on diagnosis and more on the user’s mindset. Those who embrace an active identity find renewed strength and independence.
Users have reported, “I can do things I never thought I could again,” and “I can feel myself again,” highlighting genuine transformations in ability and confidence.
Global Reach and Grassroots Impact
With over 6,500 Alinkers in use worldwide, the device has reached communities across North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and beyond. Distribution fosters community-building, partnerships, and awareness rather than mere transactions.
A collaboration with Stanford University involved 74 participants, including a professor recovering from multiple knee surgeries who now regularly rides 10 miles a day on her Alinker, earning the nickname “fastest professor on campus.” Such real-world success stories attract medical attention and help reshape ideas around recovery.
Towards a More Inclusive Future
BE Alink views the Alinker not only as a product but as a vehicle for societal change. “People have to understand that they are the activators of their potential,” she says. The device encourages users to actively participate in their recovery and mobility journey, emphasizing effort and persistence.
This philosophy challenges systems that confine people, proposing instead that movement and agency are key to empowerment.
A Call to Action
The Alinker is intended for anyone who recognizes ability as a spectrum and community as a shared responsibility. BE Alink encourages awareness and support for inclusive design as ways to improve lives.
To learn more or order an Alinker, visit www.thealinker.com. The full conversation with BE Alink is available on the Human Biography podcast and can be viewed on YouTube here.
About The Alinker
Founded by BE Alink, The Alinker is a Dutch company pioneering human-centered mobility solutions. Its flagship product blends innovative engineering with inclusive design to support dignity, independence, and neurological engagement for people worldwide.
Media Contact
BE Alink, Founder & CEO
The Alinker Inventions
Business Phone: 604-398-4947
Email: be@thealinker.com
Website: www.thealinker.com