The evoHaX SE ("Special Edition") Hackathon took place at Benjamin's Desk Oct. 23-25 to celebrate Disability Awareness Month. Teams from local tech firms and universities competed to create accessible wearable technologies that targeted a broad range of disabilities. Each team had a "subject" and an "advisor" on board to help with their project.
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Team RedView worked with Howard Bilofsky, Ph.D., as their subject, aiming to help with his fine motor skills. Here, with the help of Google Glass paired with a 3-D motion sensor, Bilofsky tries to thread a needle.
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Howard Bilofsky, Ph.D., (back left) and David Hindin, a Temple physician and resident surgeon, watch as Cole Gleason works on the adaptation of Google Glass in Team RedView's project.
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Cole Gleason demonstrates how a 3-D sensor mounted on his forehead registers the position of his hands.
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Ather Sharif, seen in the middle, leads the group of dedicated volunteers who put together the three-day event.
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Patrick Kilgallon, an individual with an auditory impairment, presents a device that signals once the subject is approached from behind from a certain distance.
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Kilgallon's "eyes-in-the back" device uses rear-facing sensors and low-cost computing technology to warn when objects approach.
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Jury members Leslie Birch and Austin Seraphin are seen judging one of the presented devices.
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This team focuses on developing a behavioral recorder that uses a smart watch and mobile phone application.
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Helena Roberts, the subject of team Drexel Dragons' Hackathon work, is 8, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Here, she communicates via the monitor in front of her.
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The Drexel Dragons team members created a low-tech solution to prevent glare and bright sunlight from rendering Roberts' communication computer mute. The jury awarded their low-tech approach with first place.
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From behind the judging table, Leslie Birch, wearable tech expert and blogger, asks a question to one of the teams.
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Tim Wisniewski, chief data officer for the city of Philadelphia, was guest of honor at the evoHaX Hackathon.
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Team Drexel Dragons presents its winning low-tech solution.
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The winners of the 2015 evoHaX Hackathon, together with Helena Roberts and her father Jody Roberts.
