More than 180 participants will gather April 21-23 at New Lab inย the Brooklyn Navy Yard for TOM:NYC 2017, a three-day Makeathon, to invent affordable, assistive technology that addresses the needs of people with disabilities. New Yorkโs first TOM Makeathon, courtesy of the Jim Joseph Foundation, and a partnership with Cornell University, will feature thirty differentย teams of makers and developers. Each eight person team will unite with a โneed-knowerโ (an individual with a deep understanding of a specific disability or challenge) to create prototypes that address that specificย need. These prototypes will help promote technological advancement where there is no market interest due to prohibitive cost or the specific natureย of a condition.
Hebrew for “repairing the world,” and often called “the TEDx of Social Action,” Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) was launched in 2014 by the Reut Group. It isย now an organized network of maker communities in tenย different countries. New York City marks the 21st Makeathon for the TOM movement. The event is aย part of a national, multi-week campaign currently operating across sixย campuses in the United States: UC Berkeley, Northwestern University, UC Irvine, Solomon Schechter High School, Vanderbilt University, and Cornell University.
Byย bringing the TOM movement to New York, local makers will have the opportunity to collaborate across industry lines. Engineers, developers, physical therapists and product designers are volunteering from a variety of universities, startups, hospitals, and design firms to bring multi-disciplinary experience to the process of creatingย a range of assistive tech prototypes. By integrating individuals with disabilities ontoย teams, makers will have the opportunity to develop an in-depth dialogue based on aย specific need, and receive feedback throughout the process as the challenge progresses from idea to prototype to product.
Makers and need-knowers will team up to create devices for seventeen challenges, including prototypes for a portable, lightweight ramp that will provide greater mobility in urban environments, adaptable tech for weight machines at the gym, and redesigned wheelchairs thatย can be propelled without the needย toย use oneโs arms.
Makers will be equipped with a variety of onsite resources and materials. Makerbot will be providingย Replicator Z18 and Replicator Plus 3D printers, andย full metal and wood shops willย include selections of Roland vinyl cutters and Rabbit laser cutters.
The event will challenge teams to create affordable solutions that useย cost-effective materials, and will measure the success of each prototype both by how easy they are to buyย and how easy they are to share. All designs are available to the public, free of charge. ย A goodย example from a previous Makeathon, a team of makers was challenged to create a robotic arm for a quadriplegic that would not cost more than $15,000. They went above and beyond, and, in three days, created a prototype that only costย $700. In anotherย case, a team of makers assigned to develop a prototype to helpย children living with Angelman Syndrome made a breakthrough while working a Makeathon in Israel. Their designs were so easy to understand, share, and use, that further development occurred in the U.S. and the final product eventually helped a girl in Brazil!
As with all its Makeathons, TOMโs New York City prototypes will be available in the public domain, circumnavigating the costs associated with ownership of intellectual property. It will also allow individuals around the world to participate in the development process andย benefit from the results.
Youย follow each teamsโ designs and build updates on TOM:NYC’sย Twitter or Facebook pages.
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