Israeli Innovators Transform Lives Of Injured Veterans With Breakthrough Creations
“This article was re-published with permission from NoCamels.com – Israeli Innovation News.
Dancing the night away, getting on a surfboard, and sitting leisurely eating ice cream can be simple, enjoyable everyday activities for some people, though possibly not in that order. For those with physical impairments, they can be difficult, or sometimes impossible.
This week, Israeli tech innovators gathered in Tel Aviv for a special project that would allow wounded veterans from Israel, the United States, and France to reclaim parts of what used to be their daily lives – executing salsa moves, catching waves, or simply sitting in a chair.
Some 200 professionals – product designers, psychologists, developers, engineers, programmers, and doctors – participated in a three-day hackathon, or make-a-thon, to create physical solutions that would address the everyday challenges faced by 12 selected veterans as a result of injuries sustained in service.
The initiative, dubbed “Makers for Heroes,” is the first event of its kind and was organized by RESTART, an Israeli non-profit organization that helps injured soldiers regain a sense of normalcy, and Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM), a global initiative by Israeli think tank the Reut Group that connects people with disabilities and the elderly with “makers” to develop unique solutions for their difficulties. TOM regularly hosts make-a-thons across the world to work on products that solve specific issues, including in the US, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Khazakstan and, of course, in Israel.
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