By Cyrille Grumbach, Jacqueline Lane, and Georg von Krogh

We introduced over 500 engineering students at Sri Sairam Engineering College in India to the fundamentals of AI through a hands-on workshop. To make it real, we built a custom web interface where students explored disability-related solutions, evaluating them while receiving AI-generated recommendations. Students learnt how AI can be used in evaluation contexts as they progressed throughout the workshop.

By Cyrille Grumbach, Chan Hyung Park, and Georg von Krogh

Building on the momentum of our first challenge, we brought back the contest with Build2gether 2.0—this time with an even sharper focus on the untapped potential of assistive technologies. The mission stayed the same: push beyond the obvious and create solutions that are both useful and novel for users with disabilities. Once again, the community showed up. 663 innovators submitted 141 new projects, with over 50,000 downloads so far. Each solution was a step toward a world that's not just more accessible, but co-created by those it's meant to serve.

Learn more on: https://www.hackster.io/contests/buildtogether2

A Smart Hiking Stick for the Visually Impaired

Voice Command Controlled Scoreboard

Dynamic Vision Assist

Object sorter with tactile & audible interface

Bezalel - Open-source 3D printable tactile display

AURA: Smart Specs Attachment for Blind Students

Accessible Sewing Machine for Leg Impairment

eBook Page Turner

By Cyrille Grumbach, Chan Hyung Park, and Georg von Krogh

We launched a global innovation contest to tackle the everyday challenges still faced by people with disabilities—needs that too often fall through the cracks of existing solutions. The response was powerful: 776 innovators joined forces to create 194 open-source solutions that were not just ideas, but fully built and shared.

What made this unique was how it started—not with ready-made thoughts, but with real collaboration. Innovators worked directly with people with disabilities, not as mere end users, but as co-creators. That’s the heart of Build2gether: making disability innovation open, inclusive, and driven by those who live it. The result? Over 250,000 downloads and a growing community built on shared problem-solving.

Learn more on: https://www.hackster.io/contests/buildtogether

Underwater Sound Beacons for Visually Impaired Swimmers

Voice-Enabled Video Game Controller

Interactive Display for Finding Wheelchair-Accessible Places

SwimSight

Robot Arms for Accessibility

Kickboard for Visually Impaired Swimmers (WIP)

AquaSight: Empowering Visually Impaired Swimmers

SCABO - Low cost yet AR-enabled cardboard toy kits