Garrett Brown, known for inventing the Steadicam nearly half a century ago, also came up with the Zeen, a wheelchair and walker hybrid he sells from the company’s office and assembly warehouse in West Chester, writes Nicole Leonard for WHYY. 

Brown’s first major invention that smoothly tracked action shots was quickly adopted by film studios in Hollywood and worldwide after it was officially launched in 1975. Steadicam was used to record the well-known fictitious boxer’s climb outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art for Rocky. 

Just when he thought his inventing days were over, Brown found the inspiration to create another item related to motion, only this time it was for the human body. 

The Zeen combines a traditional wheelchair and a walker. Its main function provides users with a chance to safely explore movement and to keep whatever range of abilities they have. 

“Our goal is to help them hang on to what they’ve got,” said Brown, “because you atrophy frighteningly quickly if you cease to use any given set of muscles.” 

So far, Brown sold around 300 devices, at about $3,900 each. He even gifted one to Pope Francis. 

Read more about the Zeen in WHYY. 

_____