Hackability: A Methodology To Encourage The Development Of Diy Assistive Devices

People with disabilities express specific needs that are not addressable by a mass production approach. We see these people building or hacking custom solutions (e.g., joysticks, handles) for their needs, directly by themselves or with the help of a caregiver. We argue that digital fabrication and modern approaches to rapid prototyping can represent a valid alternative to mass production in assisting these people. In this work we present for the first time Hackability. Hackability is a methodology designed 3 years ago in Turin, Italy, to envisage the cross-contamination of skills among makers, designers, and people with disabilities. This methodology encourages the people with disabilities to express their needs and to actively collaborate in the whole process of design and fabrication of custom solutions. The final aim of Hackability is to produce benefits that are durable in time, as well as outputs that are scalable and economically fruitful. This paper presents the methodology as well as success stories and study cases and encourages researchers from all around Europe to replicate it in their local communities.