AI-guided fabrication
An accessible fabrication suite and an AI and documentation suite that let people with complex disabilities, caregivers, clinicians, and educators co-design and build adaptive switches.
Enabling Non-Experts: AI-Guided Fabrication for Assistive Technology builds infrastructure: an accessible Fabrication Suite and an AI & Documentation Suite. With them, people with complex disabilities, caregivers, clinicians, and educators can co-design and build customized adaptive switches without needing engineering expertise.
The research follows a Do-It-Together approach grounded in disability justice and interdependence. It is organized into three themes with eight objectives: inclusive fabrication, AI-assisted fabrication and documentation (including a retrieval-augmented generation system), and responsible, transparent AI across the design lifecycle. The long-term goal is to move assistive technology innovation from expert-driven and commercial pathways to sustainable, community-led making.
- Role: Co-principal investigator (PI: Karen Cochrane)
- Funder: Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), John R. Evans Leaders Fund
- Amount: $176,000
- Years: December 16, 2024, to December 31, 2028