We’re in New York! It’s no vacation though, we’re here to learn.

A poster for the Hackaday NYC maker meetup. The focus will be on assistive technology.

Tonight, Director of Development, Chad Leaman will speak at the Hackaday NYC maker meetup (new window), where the focus will be on assistive technology. We’ve brought a LipSync device with us and have a chance to show other makers interested in assistive technology what we’re doing.

But more importantly, we’ll have a great opportunity to learn from others and engage with other makers. I’m looking forward to seeing the other speakers and meeting the other makers, most of whom creating assistive technology.

One of the groups that will be presenting (and we’ll be meeting) is DIYAbility (new window). With an emphasis on not only utilitarian tools, but on personal fun, their goal is to empower people with (and without) disabilities through technology and making. One of their projects now is the Capacita (new window), an accessible video game controller that allows users to play without the use of their hands. Co-founder Holly Cohen was a speaker at the February 2016 TED Conference in Vancouver.

But the meetup won’t be the only thing we’ll see and learn from.

We’re quite looking forward to the “Greatest Show & Tell on Earth.”

Over the weekend, we’ll be checking out the World Maker Faire (new window) 2016. Here, we think we really have a good opportunity to study how to engage makers. A big part of this project is not only creating and adapting the LipSync for makers, but also how we engage makers and connect skilled people in the community with people with disabilities, for the LipSync and more.