The Maker Revolution:!DIY Assistive Technology and Making “Making” Accessible!"Dr. Amy Hurst"Information Systems Department!University of Maryland, "Baltimore County"NRI PI Meeting: 11/5/15"

I DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY THAT WORKS SMOOTHLY WITH HUMAN BEHAVIOR!

"

Habit! Preference! Ability!

Methodology: Collaboration with Users!

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Methodology: Longitudinal Field Work!

[ACM%Interac-ons%2014]%

Prototyping and Deign Lab!

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

What is Assistive Technology?!

“any" item,"piece"of" equipment,"or"product"system," whether) acquired) commercially)off)the)shelf,)modified,)or)customized,"that"is" used" to" increase," maintain," or" improve"func6onal" capabili6es" of" individuals" with"disabili6es.”!–!US!Access!Board!

SOUNDS GREAT, RIGHT? "

But… there is a problem

Assistive Technology Goes Unused!29.3% overall AT abandonment rate Common factors [Philips and Zhao, 2000]

1.  Not considering user opinion in selection 2.  Difficulty obtaining the devices 3.  Poor device performance 4.  Changes in user needs and priorities

DIY offers end users control which may reduce abandonment rates

DIY is Not New in AT Practice!

Disabled!Village!Children!David!Werner,!1987!

AT!Solu@ons!in!Minutes!Therese!Willkomm,!2005!

Doing It Yourself is Less Expensive!

Commercial:!$110% DIY:!$2%

Made!with!4”!cut!off!lengths!of!3”!diameter!PVC!pipe,!black!fiberglass!rod,!and!brackets!from!PVC!scraps.!workshopsolu@ons.com!!

UUbolt!wheelchair!rail!mount!by!RAM!from!1800wheelchair.com!!

[ASSETS!2011]!

Test technology at home, not the clinic Digital fabrication has fast turnaround Customize design as needs change

Doing It Yourself is Fast and Adaptive!

[ASSETS!2011]!

Doing It Yourself is Empowering!

Solve!problems!!Build!confidence!!Take!control!!Independence!!

[ASSETS!2011]!

Doing It Yourself is Cool!!

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

Traditional “Making” Tools!

Accessible Making Tools!“Personal-scale manufacturing tools enable people that have no special training in woodworking, metalsmithing, or embroidery to manufacture their own complex, one-of-a-kind artisan-style objects” --Lipson, Factory@Home

3D!Printed!Plas@c! Laser!Cut!Wood! CNC!Milled!Metal!

Great 3D printers available for $500! Can’t afford one of your own?

Finding Accessible Making Tools!

Visit a local shop! Order it online!

Online Communities! Enable users to share designs, modifications, experiences, knowledge and inspiration

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

DIY-AT PRACTICES ON THINGIVERSE"What 3D-printable DIY-AT has been posted to Thingiverse.com, who made it, and why it was designed?

Sharing 3D Files with Thingiverse!

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Share files ready to be manufactured Open-source: users modify their designs Users share images and experiences

Surveyed all AT posted to Thingiverse since 2008 Under 1% was AT (363 designs out of 100,000) 1.   Traditional assistive technologies (6%) 2.  Accessible media (11%) 3.  Accessories for assistive devices (8%) 4.  New assistive technology prototype (4%) 5.   Prosthetic limbs (17%) 6.   Medication management tools (36%) 7.  Other design explicitly intended for

disabled or senior users (18%)

Assistive Technology on Thingiverse!

[CHI!2015]!

Construction Complexity!

![CHI!2015]!

1.  30%!were!only!1!part!(no!assembly)!2.  40%!required!assembly!of!mul@ple!

printed!parts!3.  28%!required!assembly!of!printed!

and!extra!parts!

Most!AT!was!!designed!for!3D!printers!!

What AT is Popular?!

![CHI!2015]!

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

Designer Experience and Motivation!

Online Survey with 69 AT designers to understand why they made and shared the AT, and their experience

[CHI!2015]!

!

13% I%Made%This%for%Myself%)24! I!Made!This!for!Someone!I!Know)

13! This!Was!a!Personal!Challenge!)

5! This!Was!Required!for!a!Class!or!Compe@@on!!

6! This!Was!Part!of!a!Research!Project!

8! This!Isn’t!Intended!for!a!Disability!)

Do It Yourself… For Someone Else!

Fast� Affordable� Customizable� empowering?

Consider changing habits, preferences, abilities

How do we make “making” accessible?

[CHI!2015]!

!

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

EFFORTLESS 3D MODELING WITH VIZTOUCH"Automatically generates a mathematic tactile graphic for tactile learners

VizTouch Interface!

[TEI!2012]!

VizTouch Equation Output!

[TEI!2012]!

VizTouch Excel Output!

[TEI!2012]!

EFFORTLESS 3D MODELING WITH GRIPFAB"Automatically generating customized hand grips for therapists, teachers, students, and anyone else.

Building AT with School Therapists!

[ASSETS!2014]!

[ASSETS!2014]!

[ASSETS!2014]!

[ASSETS!2014]!

Talk Outline"Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology (DIY-AT)

Problem with Current AT Adoption Rates Rapid Prototyping Tools and Online Communities DIY-AT Practices on Thingiverse.com Do-It-Yourself vs. Do-It-For-Someone-Else

Making “Making Accessible”

Effortless 3D Modeling “Making” in Special Education

Make abstract concepts tangible Support multi-modal learning

Create Instruction Materials!

[ASSETS!2014]!

Learn High-Tech Employable Skills!

60% unemployment rate for adults with Intellectual Disability

Making teaches valuable skills: Problem solving, Physical design, 3D Printer operation, 3D Modeling

[Fab!Learn!2015,!ASSETS!2015]!

Encourage Student Collaboration!

[ASSETS!2015]!

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR MAKING “MAKING” ACCESSIBLE"

Time is Most Expensive Resource!

Choose the Right Equipment!

[ASSETS!2014]!

Anticipate a Steep Learning Curve!

[ASSETS!2014]!

WHAT’S NEXT?"

Study impact of our software tools with diverse populations Continue studying evolution of “DIY” culture and assistive technology

Thank You! ! !!To learn more: amyhurst.com

umbcpad.com isrc.umbc.edu

Thank you to all my students, collaborators, participants and supporters.

Lisa Anthony, Scott Hudson, Shaun Kane, Anita Komlodi, Ravi Kuber, Wayne Lutters, Jen Mankoff, Helena Mentis

Thank you to my funders:

NSF QoLT ERC, NSF EAGER, NIDDR DRRP, Toyota Robotics, Microsoft Research, Nokia Research, and NIST