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Adaptive Solutions Mini-Hackathon

February 26, 2026

In January, CREATE and HuskyADAPT teamed up with the King County Library System (KCLS) to host a mini-hackathon to brainstorm and prototype solutions to accessibility problems.

After an introduction to five real-world requests submitted by the disability community, participants self-selected their projects and got to work building their prototypes. These diverse teams of makers, researchers, disability professionals, and volunteers were assisted by community co-designers and design leads.

They worked in KCLS’s Bellevue Makerspace using moldable thermoplastic, cardboard, glue, tape, fabric, sewing machines, etc.

Participant feedback

“I genuinely had an enjoyable time during the event; it was a new and meaningful experience for me. I was a little confused at first, but my teammates and the people I connected with were very encouraging, which made the experience comfortable and engaging. I learned a lot throughout the day and really appreciated the opportunity for this collaborative event.”

“I truly appreciated the energy, creativity, and strong community engagement in the room. It was inspiring to see so many families and learners exploring hands-on innovation together.”

Projects at the 2026 event

Accessible fanny pack

Goal: Design an easily organized fanny pack for a student with developmental disabilities who struggles with zippers, jumbled contents, and grasping specific items. Contexts include using the pack one-handed while communicating, purchasing, riding the bus, and other daily activities.

Several team members busy working on the accessible fanny pack prototype with fabric, straps, and a sewing maching scattered on the table.
A closeup of the fanny pack prototype with pockets, a card holder with fabric loops, and a removable pouch.
A team member demonstrates easier access to the fanny pack with a velcro closer.

Weighted backpack

Goal: Adapt a weighted backpack for autistic teens and adults to support sensory processing differences. Challenges included design for durability, affordability, and visual aesthetics, with components that are easily accessible. Should grow with the the individual.

A standard black backpack modified with duct tape, fabric, and padding.
Team members presenting the needs case for a weighted backpack and holding up their prototype made from a standard backpack, tape, and fabric

Easy-to-grasp hair clip

Goal: Create a universal design device to add usability to butterfly/claw-style hairclip handles to make grasping and using easier. A significant challenge was to design an adaptation that would work with a wide variety of hairclip designs. Members’ lived experience with arthritis informed the team’s work.

Five adults seated at a work table. They hold various large butterfly/ claw hairclips and the table holds laptops and prototyping marterials.
Two members of the hairclip team present their modified claw-style hairclips.

Q Charms accessories

Q charms are jewelry-based tokens for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) icons. Goal: Using 3D-printed tokens that fit on a silicon wristband or bracelet, design an easily adjustable bracelet extender and also a lanyard that can have Q charms attached and detached. Challenges include avoiding bulk and keeping charms from spinning to to the inside.

A closeup of several prototypes for Q Charm bracelet extenders, including chain links, elastic bands, and silicone band extensions.

Customized Q Charms

Goal: Create an accessible, open source software pipeline for creating digital custom Q charm designs in CAD and design a Q charm that users can customize with any image of their choice on the spot.

Seven people seated at a work table and focused on their laptops during the prototyping session.
Team members present a slide explaining what Q Charms are.

Acknowledgements

We thank KCLS for the use of their Bellevue makerspace and HuskyADAPT students for their skillful and enthusiastic organization of the event.

Organizers

Annika Pfister poses in front of a neutral background. She has short dark hair and smiles broadly.

Annika Pfister

  • Hackathon co-host and co-organizer
  • HuskyADAPT Outreach Chair
  • 3rd-year Ph.D. student in Electrical & Computer Engineering
Tanvi Banchu seated at an outdoor cafe gazing warmly toward the camera.

Tanvi Bachu

  • Hackathon co-host and co-organizer
  • HuskyADAPT Outreach Chair
  • 3rd-year undergraduate student in electrical and computer engineering

Megan Willan

  • Adult & Maker Services Librarian at King County Library System
  • Hackathon co-organizer

Project design and feedback panelists

  • Brennan Johnston, Assistive Technology Support Technician for Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP)​
  • Dr. Gaurav Chaudhari, software engineer at Google ​
  • Kate Glazko – UW CREATE​ Ph.D. student and student representative; 3rd-year Ph.D. student and NSF grad student fellow at the Paul G. Allen School for Computer Science and Engineering
  • Megan Willan, Adult & Maker Services Librarian at King County Library System​
  • Sarah Lemke, MOT, OTR/L, a licensed and board-certified occupational therapist at the University of Washington Autism Center