A growing do-it-yourself culture is reshaping assistive technology by empowering people with disabilities to adapt and build their own solutions instead of waiting for commercial products. IEEE Spectrum profiles Therese Willkomm, an occupational therapist and assistive tech maker known for creating more than 2,000 low-cost assistive devices over the decades. Many of her hacks use everyday materials such as corrugated plastic, double-sided tape, Velcro, and easily formed plastics to make inexpensive, functional adaptations for mobility, communication, and daily tasks. Her work has earned her the label “the MacGyver of assistive technology” and has spread through workshops, maker days, and online videos that teach others to build and customize tools for their own needs.
Willkomm’s approach highlights a persistent gap in mainstream assistive tech: medical-grade solutions tend to be expensive, hard to repair, and slow to adapt to individual needs. In contrast, maker solutions prioritize usability, low cost, and rapid iteration. These grassroots designs range from simple mounts and switches for mobile apps to customized controls for vehicles and communication aids. By keeping costs under a few dollars per device, makers such as Willkomm help people with disabilities bypass high-priced, proprietary systems and create usable assistive tech that suits their bodies and lives.
The article traces the evolution of DIY assistive technology from early rehab engineering in the 1980s to today’s network of maker communities and online tutorials that spread practical skills rapidly. YouTube, accessible materials, and peer support have lowered barriers to participation, letting people with no formal engineering background build effective modifications.
Willkomm and others argue that the maker movement not only fills gaps left by commercial assistive tech but also shifts expectations about what assistive solutions can be. They envision a future where adaptive tools are not imposed on users but created with and by them, increasing independence, reducing costs, and expanding access to technologies that enhance daily life.