Ralf is the co-founder of the revolutionary Whirlwind Wheelchair, a group dedicated to improving the lives of disabled people in the developing world. For 35 years, he has worked as a wheelchair designer, designing new and innovative wheelchairs. He was a 1989 MacArthur Foundation Fellow and has received countless other awards and honors. For thirty years in over 60 countries they have focused on producing durable, low-cost, and highly functional wheelchairs. These chairs give riders the reliable and functional mobility they need to reach their full potential. Through the Whirlwind network they build and distribute over 15,000 wheelchairs annually.

• Won the Resna Leadership Award
• Won the MacArthur Genius Grant
• Won the Schweitzer Award for Excellence
• Won the Proto Labs Cool Idea Award
• Won the Index Design for Life Award