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Performance artist Sue Austin lost mobility in her legs more than 20 years ago; but that hasn’t stopped her from exploring the world and inspiring others with disabilities to do so. Her latest project might just be the most ambitious yet—inventing an underwater wheelchair in the process.

In the short film “Freewheeling,” you can watch as Sue cruises along reefs in the wheelchair. Photographer Norman Lomax captured a series of stills along with the footage. Ms. Austin hopes the imagery empowers those in similar situations to push the boundaries and challenge preconceptions. 

"The idea came to me when I re-trained as a disabled diver, and realized that scuba gear gives me the freedom to extend my range of action in the world in exactly the same way a wheelchair does,” Ms. Austin told ABC.

The underwater wheelchair uses hydroplanes for stabilization and has even inspired inquiry from NASA. Read more about the Freewheeling project, here.