All posts by bill

How to be a (More) Maker-Friendly AT Vendor

Thank you to all the Assistive Technology vendors out there: the devices you create make everyday activities possible for AT Users every day!

We’d love to work with you to make your products and policies more Maker-Friendly.  To that end, we’ve asked our community of AT Users, Practitioners, Makers and Care-Givers to share their challenges using Assistive Technology products.
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Ella’s first project: driving her power chair!

Miss Ella Hunt (5yo SMA type-1) is a bit of a celebrity in her Indiana town–she’s on the news quite a bit, and even went to Washington to testify before the FDA fighting to get the first effective SMA drug (Spinraza) for everyone who needs it.

But for us, she’s just a kid who need to get mobile, and we’re delighted with the progress this week!  Here’s Ella’s first attempt at using her power chair with just two switches.  More information about links to our in-progress follows the video:
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3D Printed AT Switches

This project is a great way to get those idle 3D Printers running and make something useful for AT Users in your community!

We’ve designed 3D Printed Switches that you can easily download and assemble.  This guide will show you how!  If you’re an AT User or part of an AT team (parent, SLP, ATP, etc.), bring this guide to your local STEM or Robotics team and they’ll know how to put it to good use.

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Easy AT Switch Positioning w/Free 3D Printed Camera Mounts

Positioning switches is critical for folks with severe and profound physical challenges. Getting the AT Switch “just right” reduces fatigue, increases accuracy, and makes communication and environmental control much more successful.

[For those of you on the Maker side who don’t understand AT Switches, check out Max Lasko rockin’ on two switches to control the My Pal Scout we made for him.]
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iOS Switch Control on a Budget using Bluetooth Keyboards

In this guide, we will show how to use inexpensive Bluetooth Keyboards and related devices to make iOS Switch Control interfaces.  This video shows you how to do it and the guide blow shows everything you want to know!
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Just a few updates

First, and most importantly, this site has just had a major update & some extra protection added to try to stop the LOSERS who are trying to use our site to send SPAM and increase their own site’s SEO by taking advantage of folks with disabilities. Like I really have time for this crap. :-/

Second, we’ll be gathering at the AT Makers Facebook Group for an update concerning Closing the Gap and our efforts this summer!

Gotta go fight more spammy jerks.

End-to-end How-To Video of the Cariboo Adaptation

Cariboo is a great way to teach AAC scanning for target pictures by playing to win the treasure! This popular game by Cranium, no longer available in the stores, provides a great example of how to AT Switch Enable a commercial board game.  We’ve finally done a full end-to-end video of how to make the Cariboo Adaptation.

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What’s in a Name, Anyway??

Well, due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ve had to change our name.  It’s OK, I wasn’t a big fan of OpenAT since it really implied that our goal was to make more Open Source hardware/software for AT users… when in reality that’s more of a tool, not a goal.

So, with some input from the community (thanks Yahnatan!), we’re now ATMakers.org!

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