TOM: Tikkun Olam Makers will host ‘TOM:Israel’, a global 72-hour Makeathon at the Technion Institute in partnership with the Ruderman Family Foundation. The Makeathon (a marathon of making), opening today (Jan 8th) and running through Tuesday, will bring together 140 ‘Makers’ – engineers, designers, innovators and problem solvers – from the United States, Canada, England, China, India, Sri Lanka and Israel, to work together with 20 people with disabilities to develop technological solutions for everyday challenges. TOM:Israel will take place in a specially designed workspace at the Technion, featuring advanced technology such as 3D printers, laser-cutting machines, and CNC machines.

TOM:Israel is the first international Makeathon of the global movement. During the event, teams of technologists, designers, therapists, and people with disabilities will address 16 challenges of people living with disabilities, their family members, and healthcare professionals, and will try to come up with working prototype solutions.

At the end of the Makeathon, the ‘Need-Knower’ (person with a disability or caregiver with a deep understanding of the challenge) will take home the solution in-hand and the designs will be uploaded to the Open Makers Market to be made available, free of charge, for anyone in need around the world.