Make:able 2025-26

Written By Betsy Pingen

This year, seven teams participated in the Make:able Assistive Technology Design Challenge, including two college teams and five middle and high school teams mentored by Union University engineering students.

Beginning in October, each team partnered with a community member with a disability to learn about their unique needs, interests, and daily challenges. From there, students worked through the engineering design process—brainstorming ideas, building prototypes, testing solutions, and refining their designs—to create assistive technologies aimed at improving that individual’s quality of life.

Make:able gives students the opportunity to use their God-given talents to serve others. Through these relationships and projects, students are reminded that engineering can be a powerful way to love their neighbors and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The result was a collection of projects that demonstrate how engineering and compassion can work hand in hand to serve others.

Check out what they created!

Featured
Team Noah

Noah loves Farming Simulator on the PS5, but limited hand and arm control makes gaming a challenge. These five middle school boys worked together to design and build an adaptive solution to help Noah play more independently. See their project in action!

Team River

River loves fidget toys, but since he has cerebral palsy his therpists and his family have trouble finding suitable toys for him. Check out what these boys were able to make for him!

Team Chad

Every night, Chad watches Wheel of Fortune. He loves game shows—but because of his cerebral palsy, finding games he can play himself can be difficult. So these high school boys decided to create one just for him.

Team Steven

Steven has cerebral palsy, which can make fine motor skills challenging. These teenage boys wanted to design and build some games he could truly enjoy playing. Through creativity, engineering, and a lot of problem-solving, they created something just for him.

Team Leteesha

Leteesha is outgoing, social, and full of personality — but communicating verbally can be difficult. Watch how these 5 college students designed and built a custom communication device to help her connect with those around her.

Team Liam

Preschooler Liam loves story time, but his disability makes it difficult for him to turn the pages of a book on his own. So these teenage boys got to work! Using 3D printing, coding, electronics, and plenty of problem-solving, they built a device designed to help Liam experience books more independently.

Team Ella

Ella loves dancing and music, but staying focused on daily tasks can be a challenge. So these six girls set out to create a device that uses Ella’s love of music to help motivate and guide her through everyday activities.

Betsy Pingen
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