Gas Cap Turner
Teresa has a mild form of Cerebral Palsy which affects movement in her arms and hands, causing muscle weakness. Due to her limited muscle strength, Teresa was having difficulty removing her gas cap on her new vehicle. Teresa was referred to the Makers program by her twin sister who works in the assistive technology field.
Illinois Assistive Technology Program (IATP)’s Demonstration Center has a similar, manufactured gas cap opener for individuals to test, but unfortunately the measurements required modifications to fit Teresa’s vehicle’s gas cap handle. With the collaboration of Teresa, her sister, and the Makers team, they were able to get the correct measurements of the handle and the space around it to make the necessary changes to the gas cap opener. The handle was also slightly extended to provide easier access for Teresa and built up for a more secure grip. The device was quickly printed and shipped to Teresa to begin using it as soon as possible.
The Makers program can not only design and fabricate assistive technology devices that do not exist but can also investigate modeling and modifying already existing designs to fit the customized needs of the individual requesting it.
Hand Grip Writing Device
An occupational therapist (OT) at a local school requested a device like the Writing Assist that is on display in IATP’s Demonstration Center for her student who enjoys coloring. The OT requested that the device be smaller to fit in the palm of a young child’s hand and able to fit a marker in the hole that was designed to hold a slim pen or pencil. The need for this device was to allow an individual the ability to use a writing utensil without requiring much lifting of the arm or grip strength.
IATP’s Makers Program quickly designed and 3D-printed one small enough for the student and to fit a marker inside. A threaded heat set insert was installed into the device to allow for a screw to be used to hold the marker in place or any other writing utensil, big or small, while the device is in use.
Medical Patch Applicator
This device was designed for a client in need of a device to help her mother with her ability to apply her medication patch. Her mother suffers from chronic shoulder pain, which limits her range of motion. They tried every kind of product that was commercially available, but nothing could help her apply her patch in the correct location. They heard about the IATP Maker program and were curious to see if we could provide a solution. After two prototypes, the Makers found a solution that would work. The lidocaine patch lightly sticks to the applicator and the handle design allows her to position the patch where needed and transfer it to her body using very little pressure.
Apple Keyboard Stand
A previous IATP customer reached out to the Makers program to request a fabricated device for his Apple keyboard that was loaned through IATP’s Device Loan Program. There wasn’t any existing keyboard stand designs for this model of keyboard, so an engineer on the Makers team designed and fabricated one to fit the customer’s need. The keyboard stand contains a downward slope of roughly sixteen degrees to accommodate the customer’s tightened muscle tone in his arms and wrist. Once the design was finished and printed, the Makers Program adhered Dycem, a non-slip material, to the bottom of the keyboard stand to ensure it would not move around while in use. The customer was very pleased with the outcome and the ability to use his keyboard when paired with the fabricated stand that he called the Makers program as soon as the package arrived to praise them for their design work. In the customer’s generous words, he said, “The Makers program should win an award for my new keyboard stand!”.
Sandwich Bag Assist
IATP’s Tech Kitchen program met with a customer who had only use of one hand and was interested in learning how assistive technology devices could help him be more independent in the kitchen. A request was submitted to the IATP Makers Program for a device to hold Ziplock and toaster bags open while he puts his food inside. The Makers Program then presented various designs using open source files and some designed in-house.
A similar device exists on the market, and is currently in the Tech Kitchen’s demonstration inventory, although it did not work for the customer’s specific needs. Ultimately, the Tech Kitchen decided on an open source design which was then modified to hold the bags in place more appropriately for a one-handed user, therefore making it functional for the customer. The device also contains an adhesive tape attached to the bottom for additional stabilization on countertops.
Headrest Switch Mount
An IATP Speech-Language Pathologist submitted a referral to Makers on behalf of an IATP customer she had provided with an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) evaluation. The customer requires the use of a head-activated switch to navigate her device. Our SLP noticed that the swing-away switch mounts on both sides of the wheelchair headrest were bulky and appeared unsafe for the client’s younger children, causing a high risk of pinching fingers. The swing-away mounts also cause wear and tear on the headrest cover.
The Makers team fabricated two symmetrical mounts that clip onto the side of the headrest, including Velcro attachments to hold the switches when activated via lateral sides of the individual’s head. Both mounts were printed in under two hours. This simplified solution is safer and more convenient than wheelchair mounts she previously used.