Enable Makeathon 2.0

Partnering with UCL and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the GDI Hub hosted the Enable Makeathon 2.0 in London. 2 co-creation camps and incubation took place in two simultaneous locations; Bengaluru, India hosted by the ICRC and London, UK hosted by the Global Disability Innovation Hub and University College London, from November 2017 to February 2018.

Fifteen innovative ideas were shortlisted to be translated into actionable products and services by accompanying teams with fresh ideas from the ideation phase to the impact phase. Five teams were selected to come to London to develop their disability innovation ideas into new products and services throughout a 16-day intensive ‘bootcamp' with persons with disabilities, designers, engineers, humanitarians and entrepreneurs.

The teams benefited from the intensive camp to develop a solid business plan and prototypes. 8 were further shortlisted and provided additional support, out of which three teams won EM prizes to translate their idea into action.

The winning teams were:

1. Bleetech: A low-cost version of an encyclopaedia for people with a hearing impairment. Users can ask questions on a mobile platform (either in sign language or English), where they receive answers to their queries in Indian sign language

2. GameAble: As a solution to help disabled video gamers play video games on a level playing field with their non-disabled peers. It features gesture recognition-based control software and a wearable hardware device.

3. NonSpec: A below-knee prosthetic system that is dynamic, affordable, lightweight, adjustable, and mass producible. The pylon material used can be fitted to any patient of any age at a low cost.