This year, we’re marking five years of the Makers Making Change Assistive Device Library (new window).

Over the years, the Assistive Device Library has evolved. We wanted to take a look at how far we’ve come.

The Original Dozen

When Makers Making Change (new window) first launched in late 2016, there was the LipSync. An open-source device that would allow you to use a touchscreen device using sip and puff, it truly was the igniting spark behind Makers Making Change.

But the goal had always been larger than just one device. From the very beginning, the plan was to create a larger library of affordable open-source assistive technology solutions catering to a wide range of disabilities, that could be built by makers.

When the Assistive Device Library rolled out, we had 12 devices — the LipSync, Bag Carrier, Bottle Opener, Clicking Measuring Wheel, Curved and Flat Dyslexia Bars, Horizontal and Vertical Finger Pencil Holders, Key Turner, Nail Clipper, Palm Pen Holder, and Pen Ball.

With just a short table, what you see is what you got – there was no searching for devices, and it was more of a list than a library. But it was a start, and many of the designs remain favourites in our library today.

A Comprehensive Library

A little under a year later, we rolled out a new website that really allowed for the community aspect that was envisioned from the beginning, with features like device requests and functionality that really helped makers and people with disabilities to connect.

One of the key upgrades was the Assistive Device Library. In the new re-design, it truly became much more of a library. Device users could filter for designs based on their needs. And perhaps most of importantly of all, users could actually request a device — see a design you like, put in a request for the community of makers to build one for you.

Another big shift with the new library – then called “projects” on the site – was that makers could submit designs. It wasn’t just the Makers Making Change team designing devices and uploading devices, it was truly a community effort.

It didn’t take long for the Assistive Device Library to grow well beyond the initial 12 devices in the initial repository.

MMC 3.0

In 2020, we launched our third website design in response to the needs of our ever-growing community.

For the Assistive Device Library, this meant a much easier to navigate design for makers and device users alike. While the previous design allowed for filtering for a small number of options, you could never search for a specific device.

We greatly increased the number of filters website users could use, allowing them to sort devices by category, cost, disability needs, and usage. Meanwhile, makers could sort devices by skills needed, build time, and difficulty.

Over the years, we’ve seen the device count grow to over 200 devices.

The New Site

In August, we launched our new website and with it, an upgraded Assistive Device Library.

While we’ve kept many of the best features from our previous site — a filtering system that allows to select items frequently requested by users and clinicians, search functionality to name a few — we’ve particularly improved the information provided to both device users and makers.

We’ve gone in and improved our device descriptions, so that both users and makers can find the information they need quicker. For makers, we’ve put the skills you need to make a device right at the top of the page. For device users and clinicians, we’ve simplified the language, and made it clearer who will benefit from the devices.

The ability to review devices has long been a part of our site, but we’ve now made it more front and centre. You’ll notice we’ve added a star rating system at the top of the device page. Whether you want to write a detailed review and give feedback, or you simply want to let other device users know you liked (or didn’t like) a device, you can now easily share your thoughts and see what the community is saying.

When you are logged in, you can like, share, and download files. (In order to download files, you must now have an account. Creating an account (new window) is free and easy).

Our new homepage also makes it easier to access the Assistive Device Library, with six commonly used selections listed on the front page — Aids for Daily Living, Adapted Toys, Adaptive Gaming, Keyguards, Assistive Switches, and LipSyncs — that will take you directly to the selections in the library.

Our new website has been up for a few weeks now, but there may still be some bugs and we are continuously working to improve the site. Please let us know if you notice anything, can’t find something, or if you have any feedback for us at info@makersmakingchange.com.