10,000 Devices and Counting: Makers Making Change Builds Assistive Tech in Vancouver

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A Canadian programme that builds assistive technology through volunteer Build-a-Thons passed its 10,000th device at an event hosted by Electronic Arts in Vancouver — and much of that work is done by schoolchildren.

Makers Making Change is run by the Neil Squire Society, whose mission is to use technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities. Director of Innovation Chad Leaman joined Double Tap’s Marc Aflalo on our AMI-tv sister show Access Tech Live from the EA offices in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“We create assistive technology for people,” Leaman said. “Today we’re gonna be building one of the devices from our library, one of our open source joystick projects.”

Video game controllers are one size fits all

The joysticks being assembled that day plug into a computer as a mouse, or into an Xbox Adaptive Controller as a gaming input.

“You think video game controllers are literally one size fits all,” Leaman said. “We have this range of joysticks that we’re putting out and it allows people to have a joystick where it works for them.”

Different topper pieces — a round ball, a goal-post shape, a grip, a finger ring — let the input be matched to the person rather than the other way round.

Hacking for the Holidays

The Vancouver event formed part of a campaign called Hacking for the Holidays, aimed at building assistive switches, alternative joysticks and adapted toys for children with disabilities.

“The goal’s to have over 2,000 devices built and delivered to families, therapists and rec centres across Canada,” Leaman said. The previous year the campaign raised $28,000 and delivered 600 toys and 900 switches. The target for the year of the interview was 2,000 devices across more than a hundred events and close to 8,000 volunteer hours.

The organisation had also set up a network of game checkpoints where disabled people can try a wide range of assistive gaming technology and work out what suits them.

Grade five can solder

A great deal of the building happens in schools, where the programme doubles as STEM teaching with a purpose attached.

“We teach kids STEM skills, how to 3D print, how to build circuits, but we take that for that sort of social purpose,” Leaman said. Adapting a toy for switch access typically costs about five dollars in parts and “really opens up the opportunity for cause and effect play”.

Anyone can host or attend an event. “You don’t need a bunch of skill required,” he said. “We’ve taught kids in grade five how to solder — they build it by the end of their 45 minute class.”

Public events run in libraries, community centres, maker spaces and hack spaces, and are listed under Engage on the Makers Making Change website.

Resources

• Makers Making Change: makersmakingchange.com
• Neil Squire Society: neilsquire.ca