The Vanderbilt chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers, a global movement working to make affordable solutions for people living with disabilities, hosted its seventh annual Makeathon from Oct. 25 to 27 at the Wond’ry. The event involved 12 teams of “Makers,” members of the club, creating accessible and open-source solutions for “Need Knowers,” people with disabilities or other unmet needs. The event culminated in a showcase on Sunday where each team finished its prototype and presented its work.
According to TOM Vanderbilt President Elizabeth Walther in an email to The Hustler, the event’s aim is for each Need Knower to leave with a functioning, customizable and free prototype that addresses their specific challenges. Walther said without the Makeathon, many Need Knowers would be unable to receive the solutions they need because of cost and wait time.
“Throughout the weekend, each team’s focus is on prototyping devices that help to solve challenges their Need Knower is facing,” Walther said. “Need Knowers will be present for a lot of the weekend to help provide feedback on the prototypes.”
In preparation for the event, Walther and the Need Knower recruitment co-chairs met with Need Knowers over the summer to identify potential challenges they need solutions for. Then, they organized the Maker teams, which consisted of 10 to 15 students of varying grade levels.
Sophomore Brett Payne said he participated in his first Makeathon this year. His team worked to build a mechanism for an eight-year-old girl with an unknown condition who has severe scoliosis and limited mobility in her back and neck. One of the prototypes the team built was a holder for her Nintendo Switch that can attach to wheelchairs or the back of a car seat for easy access to the game.
“It’s really hard having to see these people struggle like this, so I just hope that it makes one part of her life easier,” Payne said. “Maybe she can play more Nintendo Switch and keep in contact with her siblings who are older and moved out.”
Junior Tess Mahoney is the Makeathon executive member in charge of Need Knower recruitment. She interviews potential Need Knowers and selects them based on how well Makeathon can address their specific challenges. This year, her team helped Nassanah, who struggles with travel, exhaustion and joint overextension because of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
“We are making three products [for Nassanah],” Mahoney said. “The first is a band that will go around her waist that will allow her to push her suitcase without her hands. The second is a set of sturdy wrist braces that would allow her to raise a bag into the overhead bin without overextending and injuring her wrists. The third is a vest she can wear to carry groceries up and down the stairs to distribute the weight over the trunk of her body instead of just her arms.”
Junior Isabelle Burg is a returning Maker whose group worked on designing various hand braces for a man who does not have mobility in his fingers and is unable to pick things up or open his hand. Berg’s group created a brace that allows him to pinch and write, something he has been unable to do for the past few years. They also created another brace to help him stretch his fingers out at night and potentially regain dexterity.
“I chose to return as a Maker because [I get to]see how something that may seem so simple as being able to pick up a pencil is something we often take for granted,” Burg said. “It brings me such joy, and it’s such an amazing event. I love knowing that even though I don’t have my degree yet I’m still able to impact people in big ways.”
Need Knower Beverly Dycus had part of her left hand amputated because of blood clots and has limited mobility in her right hand due to a stroke that occurred while her left hand was still healing. Her team built her a prototype that will allow her to play piano again by stabilizing her right hand as well as equipment to help her cook.
“It’s been a delight. I love [seeing] how everybody works together,” Dycus said. “They were constantly adapting the entire project so they could help someone else, and that has been a blessing to me this weekend — to see the people really care and give up a whole weekend, especially a football weekend.”
