How one idea, born from necessity, evolved into a life-changing invention.
Back in 2022, in collaboration with TD SYNNEX, the official Autodesk distributor for Serbia, I wrote this article about my motivation, my first steps with Fusion 360, and the development of a system that helps immobile individuals turn more easily in bed.
The article was originally published on the distributor’s website. I’m now sharing it in full here, as a document of an important milestone in my journey—and the beginning of my work with 3D modeling and assistive solutions for people with disabilities.
Unlike user stories from large companies, this one is more personal—a glimpse into a modest home workshop and the passion behind a much-needed solution.
NAME: Đorđe Jović
PROJECT: Turnio
YEAR: 2021
LOCATION: Belgrade, Serbia
SOFTWARE: Fusion 360
In Serbia, people with disabilities are still largely socially invisible. Most of us don’t know what kinds of barriers they face just trying to function, if not effortlessly, then at least with a bit more ease.
It’s not just people with disabilities—their families, who are their first line of support, also face challenges.
In this invisible world, we had the pleasure of meeting Đorđe Jović, who set out to solve some of his own daily obstacles—and in doing so, created something that can help others in similar situations.
Đorđe suffered a spinal cord injury in a traffic accident in 1993 and has been using a wheelchair ever since.
“I’ve always been imaginative by nature (but I can’t draw by hand), so it was hard to explain to someone what I wanted to make or modify. I’ve always been interested in researching assistive tech, functionality, and design—anything that would make life easier for me and others.”
“When I wrote that Fusion 360 changed my life—I meant it literally.”— Đorđe Jović
The first spark
He attended an event focused on 3D printing, and what stood out most was seeing a 3D model on screen—for the first time, the program interface felt intuitive and beautiful. That program was Fusion 360.
Over time, Fusion taught him how to plan, sketch, model, create assemblies, integrate mechanisms, tweak dimensions, work with precision down to the millimeter, and prepare files for 3D printing or machining.
He also learned the basics of materials—metal, plastic, density, and more.
His first major project: Turnio – a system that helps immobile people turn in bed.
“If you can’t buy it — build it.”— Đorđe Jović
What is Turnio?
Turnio is a motorized sheet-winding system installed on a bed. It winds a specially-cut sheet to the left or right, gently turning the person lying on it.
It’s designed for people who spend long hours in bed and cannot turn on their own.
Both home-based and hospital patients face numerous complications from immobility—and caregivers aren’t always available.
This invention was Đorđe’s way of creating a future ally. He lives with his mother, who is also his caregiver, and Turnio has significantly eased her daily workload too.
The system works with a remote control, and a future upgrade will support voice commands.
And to make modeling easier while lying down, he’s collaborating with an American doctor to develop head-movement-sensitive glasses—a way to sketch using subtle head movements in CAD software.
After completing the design, exporting the files, and ordering the parts, Đorđe successfully assembled and began using the system. He’s been using it for over a year now and says:
“My quality of life improved instantly—by 300%.”
“Fusion 360 didn’t just help me design—it helped me visualize weight, dimensions, proportions, and feasibility. The more I explored it, the more I learned.”
Today, his home workshop also includes a 3D printer, used to print plastic components—brackets, casings, parts—all modeled in Fusion.
He’s been using Fusion 360 since 2018 and has future plans to design more assistive tools:
a razor, toothbrushes, and a head-lifting system to elevate patients upright in bed.
Some of these projects are already well underway, and we hope to read more user stories soon.
“Every morning when I turn myself in bed, I tell my mom: ‘Whoever made this is a genius.’”
“In the end, the product looks simple—but people don’t realize how much work is behind it.”
“Give someone a tool—and they might learn how to use it. I did everything myself, start to finish, and created a complete system at an affordable cost.”
His dream is to make Turnio commercially available, so anyone bedridden for long periods can experience this transformation firsthand.
“The beauty and freedom of creation — that’s what Fusion 360 gave me.”— Đorđe Jović
PDF print screen of the original web article available.
Photo: current version of the prototype system, in everyday use since January 2021.
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