From adapted can openers to aids for turning taps, University of Alberta students are creating free assistive devices for people with disabilities. Vianna Aiello, an occupational therapy student, has 3D printed more than 100 devices that have been distributed to clinics across the country. The initiative was inspired after Aiello began making assistive devices for her grandmother. “She’s really special, and it’s hard to see her struggle, especially since she’s moved to her senior home,” Aiello told CTV News Edmonton. “It’s really nice to help her live her life as she wants to.” Aiello’s first design was tap extenders for her grandmother’s sink, as she couldn’t reach them while in her wheelchair. She has also made devices that make it easier to grab and open things like water bottles. “All of this is very easy for the average person,” said Helen Hensen. “But if you have a disability, you have to manage on your own and you have to manage somehow. Any little help will do.” Hensen now uses Aiello’s devices every day. “She’s just been a godsend to me.” Since then, Aiello has founded the club Layer by Layer where students work with people to understand some of the barriers they face, and then create devices to help them participate in activities that are important to them. “A lot of my occupational therapy (peers) were really excited about it and wanted to learn 3D printing and more about assistive devices,” said Aiello. “We put up posters on campus and it became multidisciplinary. Now we have engineering students, computer science students, and kinesiology students.” Occupational therapy students at the U of A have been learning to 3D print since 2019. “At the beginning, we had very basic printers. Now, they are more sophisticated and the software that prepares the materials has more capability,” said associate professor Antonio Miguel Cruz. People can request devices through Layer by Layer’s email or social media. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Curtis Goodrum
